What are the disadvantages of all-inclusive packages for destinations? It is customary at tourism conferences for local officials to welcome delegates to their destination, and to extol the local tourism strengths. Therefore it was a surprise at the opening session of the International Tourism Conference held in Alanya, Turkey, during November 2006, to hear the rector of the host university share his views on the local tourism industry’s problems. Clearly passionate about Alanya, he nevertheless lamented that his destination had gone ‘from heaven to hell’.

Alanya is a tourism resort area situated in the Antalya region on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The destination is nestled between coastline and mountains, and enjoys an almost sub-tropical climate suited to an all-year destination.

Following the rector’s speech I became more observant of the local tourism scene, which was all but closed for the winter    hotels were shut, the streets, tourist bazaar and sea promenade appeared almost deserted for most of the day. This was a destination with a lot to offer off-season visitors, but was clearly at the mercy of travel intermediaries selling all-inclusive summer sun and sand packages:

In terms of economy, productivity is decreasing not increasing. The competition of the foreign tour monopolists is kept on by decreasing the price and marketing all-inclusive packets, which causes the best hotels to be marketed at very low prices. Only about 25% of this income stays in Alanya and 75% of it goes out of the city.