You pays your money.........

[bewva]

Its about 8 years since I stayed in a hotel but the last time we paid about £50 extra each for evening meals to be aded. At that price I was quiote happy to look at what was on offer and then we would decide whether to 'stay in' or venture out.
I think that I would weigh up the extra cost of the AI, if you are getting your moneys worth still venturing out then I would be comfortable with that.

[Jacqui Harvey]

I am sure AI is great if you have young children and need kids clubs to keep them amused. I think the problem with a lot of them is the fact they are so isolated.
We had some Wedding guest saying in the Majesty Tuana and we drove out to pick them up. It's about 15 minutes out of Calis and then down a long country road.  The place is run like a prison camp with guards at gates.   When we picked two of the guests we were told that they were staying about 1 mile from the reception, they had not found half of the attractions yet and the only shop was extremely expensive.  After a few days in, they told us the food was very much the same every evening. These people did not realise how far away from Calis they were, in fact, they thought they were staying in Fethiye.
Obviously, a lot of people will not be leaving places like this one and so not a lot of money will be going into the local economy.
I did read one blog that said only 10% of money from AI's goes into the Turkey economy.

[Scunner]

Yes I agree that many (most?) are isolated - I guess because of the large land areas they tend to need. But not 2 hours from the beach or nearest town. We have stayed at Majesty Tuana and it is well served by dolmus and taxis outside. There is a general problem with hotels in the area and their addresses - some claiming to be in Fethiye but are actually in Yaniklar or Koca Calis for example (but still technically true) - also I know of many arguments and even punch ups at receptions in Ovacik/Hisaronu where people have arrived to check in to their Olu Deniz hotel but are a bus ride away from it - again, technically Ovacik comes under Olu Deniz Belediye so technically correct. This is a general problem rather than a problem with AI.

If it is correct that 10% goes into the local economy it proves my point. £300 from a 3k family booking is worth having and certainly better to have than not have the facility and let Egypt or Rhodes get the £300. My feeling about Turkey is that it isn't difficult to get people to love it and return again and again, it is difficult to get them to come the first time. If AI gets them there and they like it, there is nothing to say they will go AI the next time.

It is however difficult to see how only 10% goes into the economy - these places are big employers and big purchasers of food and drinks. All that expenditure goes into the local economy.

[Jacqui Harvey]

It's actually 10% of tourist spending to the local economy, so even if the resort is buying it's
supplies from local stockists, it's the local business such as shops and restaurants that are suffering
http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk/all-inclusive-holidays---excluding-local-people.html

[heather07]

That was what upset us in the Jamaica.  Most of the AI are owned by spanish companies so a lot of the money is leaving the island. 
Most hotels were well out of town and nothing went into the local economy.  The result was  high unemployment and crime,.  Which made it unsafe and frightening to leave the hotel.

[Scunner]

No actually it is exactly the opposite way round. High unemployment and crime was responsible for creating the fenced and gated all inclusive resorts of Jamaica. Jamaica was the home of the all inclusive concept, the thinking being to create a tourist who didn't need to carry cash.