Why all-inclusive resorts are moving customers off-site: Beyond the buffet

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Hotel & Dive Resort Fort Young In front of a lake in Dominica, a man carrying a daypack (photo courtesy of Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort) Hotel & Dive Resort Fort Young
All-inclusive resorts, which have long been linked to swim-up bars and limitless beach time, are revising their policies to accommodate post-pandemic travellers' evolving needs.

Gregor Nassief, the proprietor of Dominica's Fort Young Hotel and Dive Resort, was getting ready for what many were referring to as the age of "revenge travel" when foreign travel started in 2022 after limitations connected to COVID-19 were lifted. He thought of introducing straightforward, one-stop-shop vacation packages as demand for all-inclusive vacations was rising. However, he soon discovered that Dominica, sometimes known as the "Nature Island of the Caribbean," is not your usual beach vacation spot.

"Travellers who come here don't want to do the fly-and-flop, where you sit at the beach and do nothing else," Nassief states. Visitors come here to learn more about Dominica. If we exclude the island, an all-inclusive product would not be able to thrive here."

Nassief's insight fits with a larger trend in resort tourism. All-inclusive resorts, which have long been linked to swim-up bars, buffets, and unending beach time, are adjusting to satisfy the shifting demands of post-pandemic tourists. Nowadays, a lot of people want for both convenience and adventure, looking for a hassle-free stay with access to worthwhile local experiences. The all-inclusive concept is growing to include more of the surrounding area, from self-drive excursions and restaurant meals to guided hikes and cultural events. The change, which started in earnest in 2022, is still happening in 2025 as more tourists value discovery, connection, and authenticity while staying in five-star resorts.

Launched in January 2022, Nassief's "island inclusive" package includes full board and airport transfers, as well as a daily land or sea group excursion, such a guided tour of the bustling Roseau Market or a climb to the breathtaking waterfalls at Trafalgar Falls. The program currently makes up 30% of the hotel's all-inclusive leisure reservations, despite the fact that it has a five-night minimum booking requirement and a substantial upcharge (the room-only rate begins at $302 per night, while the island-inclusive package costs $456 per person per night based on double occupancy).

Hotel & Dive Resort Fort Young When on vacation, travellers are increasingly seeking connection, genuineness, and adventure (Credit: Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort). Hotel & Dive Resort Fort Young
When on vacation, travellers are increasingly seeking connection, genuineness, and adventure (Credit: Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort).
In 2024, Kathrina Sadsad-Tamesis, a lawyer from Manila, was drawn to Nay Palad Hideaway in Siargao, a newly fashionable island in the southeast Philippines, by a similar model. A stay at the opulent resort, which starts at $900 per person per night, includes custom dinners, massages, and exclusive off-property activities like surfing lessons, paddleboarding through neighbouring mangroves, or seeing the stunning Magpupungko rock pools.

Sadsad-Tamesis remarks, "I like the fact that you don't need to check prices once you're there," and she would want to see additional resorts provide comparable packages that include excursions in the price. It inspires her to take a more active vacation. "They have everything arranged for you, so you don't have to worry about what you're going to eat or how you're going to spend your time.

"Sometimes planning is the hardest part," she states, "so if the resort is already including activities, it is easier to participate."

Many tourists are drawn to this combination of convenience and interaction. According to A'Rielle Thomas, a family and honeymoon expert at Fora Travel, half of her all-inclusive customers are increasingly searching for activities outside of the resort's boundaries. "They're not looking for a vacation that ends abruptly. They want to engage with the place and residents," she adds. According to Thomas, it's a chance for resorts to reinvent the visitor experience and reach a new market of tourists that want the best of both worlds: an amazing beach resort and an adventure.

"This is a blind spot for many resorts, because for a long time, getting guests offsite hasn't been their focus," she says. "If I'm staying at a resort but they offer a transfer and a guide to see Chichén Itzá, that's a totally different value proposition and will be more enticing to someone who might not want to sit at a beach the whole time."

Royal Curaça Sandals o Sandals' Island Inclusive Dining program allows visitors to dine at a nearby restaurant after leaving the resort (Credit: Sandals Royal Curaça). o) Royal Curac Sandals Thanks to Sandals' Island Inclusive Dining program, visitors may now dine at a nearby restaurant after leaving the resort (Credit: Sandals Royal Curac However, the outings don't have to be as extensive as an island-hopping day or a trip to a historical site. ing. Sandals' Island Inclusive eating service was introduced in 2022 at Sandals Royal Cura because for some people, a meal change may be sufficient. The program provides supper at a nearby restaurant for visitors in certain accommodation types, along with transportation and a $250 eating credit. Jessica Shannon, Sandals' chief experience officer, claims that the great majority of eligible visitors have taken advantage of this really well-liked bonus. age. The business now intends to activate all 17 of Sandals' products. RTS.

Ikos Resorts, which has seven hotels in popular Mediterranean destinations including the island of Kos and the ancient city of Marbella, has a Local Discovery program that includes off-site dinners. The program, which was launched in 2015, invites visitors to spend no additional money exploring some of Europe's most picturesque areas. Apart from dining at family-run restaurants and seafood taverns, tourists may rent a vehicle and take autonomous excursions into the rugged interior of Mallorca or the Costa del Sol. Among the locations covered by the brand's Culture Pass program, which grants free admission to Ikos visitors, are the Museum of Asian Art on Corfu, the Pablo Picasso Museum in Marbella, and the Akrani vineyard on Kos.

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For visitors staying in higher room categories, Paradisus by Meliá introduced their "Destination-Inclusive concept" in 2023. This concept adds off-resort experiences to the all-in packages at many of their resort locations, including Gran Canaria in Spain, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and Los Cabos, Mexico. At Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort, visitors may be taken to a pristine beach for yoga on a catamaran. While resting in a premium accommodation at Paradisus by Meliá Gran Canaria, guests may also enjoy a visit to the Banana Museum or a guided walk around Roque Nublo.

Hotel & Dive Resort Fort Young The change is being influenced by social media, as tourists try to imitate what they see on Instagram and Tik Tok. Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort is credited. Hotel & Dive Resort Fort Young
The change is being influenced by social media, as tourists try to imitate what they see on Instagram and Tik Tok. Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort is credited.
Paula Forero, the general manager of Paradisus Palma Real, said that hotels are discovering that social media and the web have changed the requirements of modern visitors, even those who are making reservations at all-inclusive resorts. Travellers are becoming more adventurous as a result of the ease with which they can now get material about the locations of their next trip on social media sites like Instagram and TikTok. They don't want to miss the sights and sounds of the places they're researching.

"Before, travellers were OK with spending seven days at a hotel, resting, enjoying, eating, not thinking," said Forero. "No, now. Because they have access to more information, guests are more inquisitive. They want more adventures and encounters.