BajaNomad

All-Inclusive Resorts v. Local Restaurants

Bajahowodd - 1-8-2009 at 02:07 PM

I'm going take a wild guess here and say that most of the nomads are not fans of all-inclusive resort hotels. The phenomenon really got its start in Jamaica years ago used as a marketing tool to deal with rampant crime affecting tourists wandering around town. Provide all food and beverages, and put a high fence around the property. It caught on. So all-inclusives mostly appeal to timid tourists and drunkards who want to spend as little as possible for their buzz.

I just happened to be perusing Joe Tyson's very comprehensive web site loscabosguide.com, and noted that he has a page devoted to restaurants that have closed. Now despite the continued building of mega resorts throughout the Los Cabos area, the page lists 50 restaurants that have closed in the area in the past 4-5 years. They cannot compete with the all-inclusives or with the pricey upscale resorts whose often celebrity clientele tend to sequester.

To my chagrin, several of my favorites appear on the list.

Of course they can't compete...

Dave - 1-8-2009 at 03:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd

the page lists 50 restaurants that have closed in the area in the past 4-5 years. They cannot compete with the all-inclusives or with the pricey upscale resorts whose often celebrity clientele tend to sequester.


And shouldn't. You're talking two distinct types of tourist. The all-inclusives compete with each other. I'd venture that the closures are more a result of a general decrease in tourists that don't frequent the all-inclusives than increased competition from the resorts.

mtgoat666 - 1-8-2009 at 03:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
I'm going take a wild guess here and say that most of the nomads are not fans of all-inclusive resort hotels. The phenomenon really got its start in Jamaica years ago used as a marketing tool to deal with rampant crime affecting tourists wandering around town. Provide all food and beverages, and put a high fence around the property. It caught on. So all-inclusives mostly appeal to timid tourists and drunkards who want to spend as little as possible for their buzz.


some of my best vacations have been all inclusives. sometimes a vacation should be easy and/or hedonistic :bounce:

other times, a vacation should be a 40-mile death march hike with 40 pound pack and 12,000 feet vertical gain. :P

Bajahowodd - 1-8-2009 at 03:36 PM

Good points. But staying at an all-inclusive may cause one to miss that Mexican restaurant in Istanbul, or the Moroccan one in Merida.