Black Meetings And Tourism Resort Round-Up

ALL ABOUT ALL-INCLUSIVES:
Black Meetings & Tourism Resort Round-Up

All-inclusive resorts can really help meeting and incentive planners, conference attendees and leisure travelers get the most out of their travel dollars. Today, over 400 hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico are either all-inclusive resorts or offer all-inclusive packages.

You'll want to consider carefully before choosing an all-inclusive resort. Resorts do vary — some are more suitable for meetings and retreats, like The Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort , (on Paradise Island, The Bahamas), boasting 90,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space, the Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club (in Montego Bay), with a 26,000-sq. ft. conference center and 12,000-sq. ft. ballroom, and the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios), with 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and a nearly 18,000-sq. ft. ballroom. The Sunset Jamaica Grande (formerly the Renaissance Jamaica Grande) is currently closed for refurbishing with a scheduled grand opening under its new Sunset flag on March 19, 2005.

Some other resorts may be designed for couples, some for singles, some for gays and some for families. Some cater to a younger or older crowd. There are also some that offer clothing-optional activities. For obvious reasons, most of those don't allow children under 18. And the packages offered at these and other all-inclusives are subject to seasonal change, so it goes without saying check ahead to make sure the program they offered last year, or last month, for that matter, is still valid.

Planners or travel agents may feel more comfortable booking business into an all-inclusive that’s owned and/or operated by one of the major brands. For instance, Hilton International’s Coral by Hilton operates four all-inclusive resorts — Canoa Coral by Hilton, Costa Caribe Coral by Hilton, Hamaca Coral by Hilton, and Marien Coral by Hilton — all in the Dominican Republic. If you have a relationship with Hilton, and feel comfortable doing business with a known entity like Hilton, then they may be a perfect fit for your organization or client.

Other possibilities include Divi Resorts, which operates properties in Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Cayman Brac, St. Croix and St. Maarten; Iberstar Hotels & Resorts, which currently owns and operates 15 resorts in the Caribbean, and 60 hotels in Spain and the Mediterranean; Sol Meliá, with 58 hotels operating in 12 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, United States and Venezuela); Beaches Resorts, which operates properties in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos; and Sandals Resorts, with six properties in Jamaica, The Bahamas, and St. Lucia, to name a few options.

Myrtle V. Dwyer, e xecutive a ssistant m anager of the Half Moon Golf Tennis & Beach Club and director of Glamour Tours Destination Management Company based in Montego Bay, Jamaica, would like to point that it is not only all- inclusive resorts that offer all- inclusive plans. For example, Half Moon is not an all- inclusive resort, but offers a variety of all- inclusive packages to suit all types of groups – for example, Golf P lan, Spa Plan, Platinum Plan and the all encompassing Imperial Plan.

“The all-inclusive package allows the group to budget properly ahead of time, not having to worrying about the frills in especially food and beverage. The all-inclusive plan is definitely more cost-effective and savings could be between 30- 40%,” claims Dwyer. “From our point of view there are several types of all- inclusive packages.” Some items included in Half Moon’s packages are food and beverage, watersports, golf, tennis, scuba, taxes, service charges, horseback riding, bicycles, spa treatments, airport transfers, tours and others.

Ninety percent of meeting planners that book an event at the Radisson Cable Beach & Golf Resort, located in Nassau, The Bahamas, are choosing the resort’s all-inclusive meetings option. Complete with spacious accommodations, all meals and beverages, golf greens fees, airport transfers to and from the resort, and a group meeting coordinator, the concept of all-inclusive meetings is being embraced by planners for meetings of all sizes. Moreover, the resort provides meeting and incentive planners with the option to book on an all-inclusive stay or a room-only basis.

“With all-inclusive pricing, meeting planners can present their executives with a simple and clearly laid-out bottom-line cost analysis of how much money will be spent, and more significantly, how much money can be saved during their next event held at the Radisson Cable Beach & Golf Resort,” said Benjamin Davis, general manager of the 700-room resort.

The Sunset Jamaica Grande, in Ocho Rios is one of Jamaica’s most sought after properties. Also not a true all- inclusive, they offer several very attractive all- inclusive plans. This hotel combines informality with productivity, casual style with island charm and functional facilities with convenience and modern comforts. The Sunset Jamaica Grande offers 720 guestrooms and suites that all feature private balconies with ocean views to accommodate their delegates.

Many guests tend to book at least one off-property tour while at a resort, however, if they want to stay close, the Sunset Jamaica Grande offers a wide variety of entertainment activities in their packages that will keep even the most active person occupied for the duration of their stay.

Then there are those properties, like Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont, that offer cost-saving packages that include accommodations, daily alpine lift tickets on all three of their mountain runs, free daily ski and snow board camps, unlimited use of the FunZone Family Entertainment Center, indoor pool and hot tubs, and a free travel protection plan, among other things. Smugglers’ Notch packages, however, do not include cost of meals or any equipment rental.

“Our no hidden extras all-inclusive is an excellent option for those planners who need to provide a pre-paid program,” said Richard Doumeng, general manager, Bolongo Bay Beach Club, St. Thomas. “Our all-inclusive program offers 100 percent a-la-carte dining with premium brand liquors. When you stay at Bolongo Bay you never have to eat at a buffet,” added Doumeng. “There are no surcharges and wristbands, just unlimited, unrestricted fun,” he added.

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