Does anyone really care whether all-inclusive holidays come with a bag-full of issues? Or is it simply the case that you either love ’em or hate ’em? For copywriters who are involved with the marketing of ‘all-inclusives’, these are real challenges that mean you’re starting off on the wrong foot.
In short, the issues focus on the perception that these ‘sunshine centres’ are in some way down-market (even though most are in fantastic locations with amazing facilities).
There is also the claim that all-inclusive holidays drain the local economy of much-needed tourist revenue (because everything ‘touristic’ goes on behind the tour operator’s closed doors).
Again, this is debatable because hotels of every type – in every location – tend to be self-contained, with a range of services that will maximise their income.
Overcoming Misconceptions
Given that certain people view all-inclusives with a jaundiced eye, how can copywriters overcome these points of prejudice?
As with all copywriting projects, it’s important to ‘get under the skin’ of your prospects. It is of course difficult when someone doesn’t like the idea of being part of a large group where they feel their individuality has been compromised in some way.
It’s even more difficult when someone takes the snobbish view that they’re likely to be rubbing shoulders with the ‘wrong sort’ (similar to the way British holiday camps such as Butlin’s and Pontin’s were viewed in the post-war period).
It’s clear that all-inclusives have their own set of marketing challenges to overcome. A travel copywriter’s superlatives and honeyed USPs will fall some way short of the mark.
In common with all sales processes, it’s important for copywriting to pre-empt and overcome any reasons why a prospect shouldn’t plump for your product or service.
Peace of Mind
The simplest way to achieve this is by focusing on the positives that all-inclusive holidays provide – the main one being that everything is taken care of from the moment you arrive at the departure airport.
Peace of mind is further assured by the tour operators’ branding which provides comfortable homogeneity in keeping with their market ‘positioning’. This will inevitably mean surroundings that have a ‘westernised’ familiarity – in the bedroom furnishings, the dining room and entertainment areas, not forgetting international drinks brands (sold alongside local products).
Depending on the holiday deal, food and drink will be available on-tap or at much-reduced prices. For many fans of all-inclusives, it is the very predictability of these outgoings that is such a major attraction. Again, it’s about peace of mind – that your money won’t run out half-way through the holiday!
The Copywriting Solution?
For those who feel that all-inclusives are isolationist ‘islands of affluence’ that should be channelling their tourist dollars into the local economy – you could point to the lucrative organised excursions which are not dissimilar to those offered by most tour operators, all-inclusives or not.
Prejudices against all-inclusives will only be broken down by honest and enthusiastic appraisals of their attractions that go beyond inward-looking, self-satisfaction. Whilst it’s true that a highly organised mini-resort will inevitably create its own micro-economic environment, tourists should be reminded continually of the cultural opportunities that lie beyond the resort’s confines.
An experienced travel copywriter should be able to put everything in a broader context. They have a duty to include and promote local facilities in their bill of fare as a major part of the all-inclusive deal.
To find out more about Buzzwords’ travel copywriting services, why not contact Mike Beeson today – without obligation, of course! Mike is a highly experienced copywriter, journalist and PR consultant. His company, Buzzwords Limited, was established over 20 years ago and is located in Knutsford, Cheshire (south Manchester). Telephone 07714 222 464.