A savvy British tourist and Youtuber, Ed Chapman, recently tried to make a profit out of his all-inclusive holiday to Turkey to see if the tempting deal was worth the money.
Chapman put the “pay as you go option” to the test to see if it is actually cheaper than the popular holiday option where all food and drink are free with a wristband, reported the Mirror.
The Brit carefully noted down every mouthful and drink he had at his all-inclusive resort in Turkey.
He had splashed out £965 on his TUI package and was quick to work out his expenses: “We need to knock off about £165 for the return flights to Turkey with checked luggage and then maybe like another £500 for five nights in the hotel. That leaves us with roughly £300 paid for the ‘all inclusiveness’”.
However, it was not until the final day of his break that Chapman hit the jackpot, revealing that the deal is only worth it for those wishing to indulge on one specific product.
Almost immediately, Chapman got himself a sandwich and several strawberry daiquiris on his solo adventure.
He then headed for a silent disco, where three different beats played simultaneously, a “weird experience” for Chapman as a solo traveller: “You can change between the different channels …just weird to be trying to dance just dance with yourself. This is the first time I’ve ever done a resort holiday by myself, so this is going to obviously be a bit weird for us all,” he said.
Having set the challenge for himself, Chapman stumbled across something he could exploit: “One thing I do like about this hotel is that there’s no wristbands or anything like that.
“Sometimes, in these places, you get really annoying wristbands that are fiddly and scratchy, but there’s nothing like that here. They don’t even ask your name at breakfast or at dinner or anything, so you could in theory just waltz in [and eat what you like].”
Despite this rather tempting offer, Chapman stuck to the rules and made the most of his initial £300 budget by frequently indulging in drinks, snacks and using the gym and spa, which added £15 to his bill. He also took full advantage of the pool and slide, apart from during a brief thunderstorm.
After depleting his funds on day five, the final day of his holiday, he continued to enjoy his lunches and celebratory drinks, thanks to the all-inclusive deal.
He concluded that such packages are particularly great for those who favour a drink or two more than he does: “We have managed to make a profit, and let’s face it I’m not a massive drinker,” Chapman revealed. “If you’re a bigger drinker than me and you had five, six, seven or eight alcoholic drinks a day you could easily add another £150 onto that total.”
He added: “So, the reality is if you’ve got the money to be able to do all-inclusive, and you are somebody that drinks quite a lot it’s absolutely worth it. If you’re somebody that [doesn’t drink] too much, like me, it’s still probably worth it if you’ve got the money.”
According to the Advantage Travel Partnership, all-inclusive holidays are the most popular type of holiday in 2024, with 46 percent of summer holiday bookings being all-inclusive. British Airways also revealed in 2023 that 41 percent of millennials planned to take an all-inclusive holiday last year, more than any other generation.
All-inclusive holidays have continued to remain popular because they are convenient, offering great value and providing a stress-free experience. They also offer a combination of relaxation and adventure, and are a good way to avoid unexpected costs.
For those headed away for half term with their families, all-inclusives can be good for kids for many reasons including safety, kid-friendly activities, as much food and drink as you want and not needing to worry about planning to keep the kids entertained.