All inclusives are killing one of the best parts of going on holiday

All-inclusive hotels and resorts are slowly killing one of the best parts about going away on holiday.

When it comes to jetting away after long months of hard work and parenting, the idea of flopping down on a sunlounger in between trips to the all-inclusive buffet or bar is undeniably tempting.

However, it’s this very action that is threatening something we all love. Food.

A recent poll of 2,000 holidaymakers found that cuisine is the main reason for choosing a holiday destination for 19 percent, with 25 percent even returning to the same place because of it. Nearly four in 10 always research restaurants and dining experiences, and 17 per cent will put together a wish list of foods they want to try.

But according to the responsible travel firm Intrepid, local delicacies, bars and restaurants are under threat because holidaymakers are increasingly staying in all-inclusive resorts run by large multinational companies, rather than exploring and spreading their cash around.

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A survey of 2,000 Brits conducted on behalf of Intrepid by Censuswide found:

• 51% won’t travel beyond their accommodation to find authentic food
• 25% eat at a global fast-food chain within 48 hours of arrival
• 55% of Gen Z say they find comfort in familiar brands like McDonald’s and Starbucks when travelling
• Over two-thirds of Brits (67%) admit to packing food from home, with tea bags (32%), the most commonly packed item

Award-winning author, food and travel writer, Yasmin Khan, who collaborated on the research, told the Mirror what we risk losing if we stick to the hotel buffet.

“When a traditional dish disappears, we don’t just lose a recipe; we lose a piece of history and heritage,” she said.

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Yamin believes that travellers have a responsibility to support the food cultures that make places distinctive and that “when we choose the safety of the familiar over food rooted in local tradition, we can inadvertently contribute to the loss of irreplaceable flavours, techniques and ingredients.”

“As someone who is a tired mum of a toddler, all-inclusives have their place. But I would push back on this idea that they’re the most affordable way to experience a holiday. While some have good food, the majority of the time you’re divorced from where you’re visiting. It could be anywhere. You feel disconnected,” she continued.

“So many of the local bakeries, or the lovely cake shops, the lovely tapas bars, if people aren’t leaving the hotels, they’re under threat. Some of my favourite meals abroad have been some of the spontaneous ones, you’ve eaten something you’ve not heard of before. I also make a point of asking for local recommendations.”

Intrepid has also partnered with Time Out to launch a series of immersive cookery workshops in London, giving people the chance to cook and experience a selection of the ‘endangered dishes’ firsthand. Tickets are on sale now.

Dan Saladino, author of Eating to Extinction, is concerned that less well-known dishes are being wiped out, in part due to the habits of holidaymakers.

“The research identified three primary threats including environmental loss from climate change, cultural dilution due to overtourism, and the disappearance of traditional artisanal skills. We chose dishes like the New York bagel and sushi from Japan because they are, in culinary terms, global icons, yet most people don’t realise the authentic versions of these are actually on the brink of vanishing due to modern shortcuts and mass-market pressures,” he said.

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“Food is the most profound link we have to our history, our land, and our identity, yet we are currently witnessing a global collapse of culinary diversity.”

Noel Josephides, the chairman of family‑owned tour operator Sunvil, believes that all-inclusive hotels don’t just threaten food culture, but the very foundations of the sunny destinations loved by Brits.

He refuses to work with all‑inclusives “on principle” and argues that they suck money out of local communities and funnel it towards large multi‑nationals. Local, independent business owners simply can’t compete with the buying power of the big chains, which encourage holidaymakers to stay on‑site rather than going out into the community to spend their cash.

This is not only a major cause of resentment among locals, but it keeps holidaymakers from truly experiencing the destination they’re in, Mr Josephides argues.

“It’s a product that doesn’t really encourage access to local facilities. We know in places like Cyprus and Greece, restaurants have shut down because of all‑inclusives,” he told the Mirror.

“It is not the way to see a country like Greece, but it is perfect for mass‑market tourism from the company’s perspective. In Corfu, there’s a village called Dassia, which has a big all‑inclusive. If you go to that village, it’s dead. Small hoteliers in Paphos have told me, hundreds of restaurants have closed. It is not the right way to do tourism.”

Brian Carrigan has been travelling to sunny destinations such as Menorca, Grand Canaria, and Marjoca each year for the past quarter of a century. In his mind, the biggest problem is the rise of all‑inclusives.

“They starve the local economy of holiday spending. We have never done all‑inclusive due to the fact that the food is substandard and not as good as a locally prepared meal in a nice restaurant,” Brian said.

When I visited Rhodes in 2023 to see how the island was recovering from wildfires that had evacuated thousands of holidaymakers, a number of independent hoteliers and restaurateurs told me how hard times had come in the past decade. While they cited numerous factors, the biggest one in their minds was the arrival of several large all‑inclusive hotels.

The history of the wrap‑around holiday type stretches back to the 1950s, when Belgian sportsman Gerard Blitz pioneered the concept by using army surplus tents to house visitors in Majorca. He was the founder of Club Med, now one of the biggest travel brands in Europe.

The all‑inclusives of today are much more complex and provide so much more to guests than Mr Blitz’s straw hut village that opened in 1952 in Corfu. When I visited Club Med Tignes, I was amazed by not just the ski‑in, ski‑out nature of the property, but the staff on hand to get kids dressed and ready for a day on the slopes, and the incredible buffet on offer three times a day. We’re not just talking chips and pizza, we’re in the world of raclette, fresh fish, and omelets made to order as you watch on.

While Club Med may no longer be a bargain option, many brands offer such good deals that it’d be financially mad not to go all‑inclusive. At least, from the holidaymaker’s perspective.

According to Responsible Travel, all‑inclusive resorts are “usually owned by an overseas company,” and they “sequester most of the tourists’ cash, leaving little behind in the local community, which is impacted by the presence of the resorts.”

“Holidaymakers also use vast quantities of energy and water (significantly more per person than local people) and create large amounts of waste, which some feel is a high price to pay for little commercial return.”

Harold Goodwin, professor of Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University, believes all‑inclusives can be forces for good, so long as they work alongside independents, rather than against them. That means building a loyal and skilled local workforce, reducing energy costs and waste, sourcing fresh local produce, and offering an exciting range of sensitively planned excursions.

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“An impressive all-inclusive resort can provide employment for local people with a genuine chance of progression – with the right support and training – into managerial roles that are better paid. Indeed, an all-inclusive resort in a developing country could employ far more people locally than several ecolodges ever could,” he told Responsible Travel.

“Notorious for not sourcing locally, there is no reason why a responsible, sustainable all‑inclusive resort cannot support an ‘adopt a farmer’ scheme, or similar – sourcing delicious, fresh, quality produce for its catering needs at a local level.”