As the world of travel (and everything else) readjusts in a post-Covid world, related costs are steadily rising. Exhibit A: the price of airline tickets. According to the 2024 Global Business Travel Forecast, published by the Global Business Travel Association in partnership with business travel and meetings-management company CWT, 2022 was a banner year for price hikes, with the global average ticket price for flights booked for business travel climbing by a dizzying 72.2 percent year-over-year, outstripping 2019 levels. Hotels are getting more expensive as well. The GBTF projects average daily rates to increase by 4.3 percent in 2023, followed by a 3.6 percent rise in 2024.
The upshot: CWT says the average daily cost per attendee for events was US$160 in 2022. This is expected to increase to $169 in 2023 and then $174 in 2024.
While prices presently are fluctuating month to month, for many travelers — and meeting planners in particular — all-inclusive pricing is becoming an increasingly attractive feature as a hedge against future escalating charges and inflation. “All-inclusive gives meeting professionals a simplified process, a better handle on costs, and less unhappy surprises,” says award-winning travel journalist Chris Christensen, proprietor of the “Amateur Traveler” blog.
One Price, Less Stress
“With organizations and associations curbing on budgets in this economy, all-in-one pricing really helps reduce the stress,” notes Micayla Diener, CMP, CSEP, global event lead for TikTok. "With this type of model, you are able to incorporate all of your requirements into one, without having to worry about extra fees creeping in. For example, your attendees get to enjoy food and beverage, housing and amenities for a known cost. Some places even include features such as audiovisual. It truly makes for a seamless experience.”
Perhaps the greatest arena for the all-inclusive model is the cruise industry, where all the myriad features of events, from housing to F&B to meeting space and more, can be found under one roof. “A cruise offers meeting planners all the basics,” says Cherie Weinstein, special projects manager for Landry & Kling Global Ship Solutions, which specializes in meetings and incentives at sea. “Once onboard, attendees never need to dip into their pockets. Many cruises run the gamut of inclusiveness, while leaving room for tweaking when it comes to things like shore excursions. If the group is particularly active, you can add options such as bike tours, coach excursions and special foodie experiences.
“It’s important to understand the needs of your attendees,” Weinstein adds, “so you can find a cruise that will fit, and you can tailor the package to the group's needs.”
Virgin Voyages does all-inclusive all the time. The cruise line, which sails the Caribbean, Europe, the South Pacific and across the Atlantic Ocean, even includes unlimited Wi-Fi in the price. “And we don’t have formal ballroom dining in favor of all-specialty onboard outlets, where there’s no extra pricing or hidden surcharges for what you eat,” says Kelly Popovski, global head of corporate, incentive and charter sales for Virgin. “And all three of our ships [a fourth is in the works] are exactly the same, giving consistency across the board.”
What About Alcohol and Tips?
When it comes to groups, alcohol usually is one of the most-customized elements of a sea-going experience. “Some luxury lines in the 5-star-plus category are all-in on whatever passengers want to drink. It’s part of the deal,” says Weinstein. “Others let you finesse it down to just wine and beer at meals. More conservative organizations with a big business agenda might not want attendees drinking alcohol until at night. There’s a whole range.”
“We like to make it simple,” says Popovski. “On all Virgin Voyages, we include a $300 dollar bar tab per cabin, and guests can get anything they want, from specialty cocktails at one of the ship’s bars to a bottle of Merlot delivered to their cabin.”
All-inclusive also takes the pesky problem of tipping off attendees’ minds. Weinstein notes that most cruise lines offer some kind of calculation for MICE groups for basic shipboard gratuities, while suppliers like Virgin Voyagers include all tipping, including at a ship’s individual bars, throughout the cruise.
Like with so much of group travel, the key to all-inclusive is to make the arrangements as far in advance as possible to help the supplier meet specific needs. “This is especially true for dining,” says Popovski. “Meeting groups want to eat together, whether it's an awards presentation, an incentive dinner or any kind of gathering. Dining is perhaps the biggest vibe on a ship, and these also are important networking opportunities.”
TikTok’s Micayla Diener perhaps sums it up best: “All-inclusive pricing is truly a one-of-a-kind dream for event planners. It just makes planning easier, negates the effects of rising inflation and attendees love it."
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Remember — group bookings for meetings, incentive trips, and celebrations receive up to $200 onboard credit per cabin (including for the group leader) and the opportunity to host one complimentary cocktail event. Plus, with flexible policies and a personal concierge ready to assist with setting up events, your groups are ensured the extraordinary experience and reward they deserve.
To find out more about all-inclusive pricing for meetings and incentives, visit Virgin Voyages.
