A confused British couple who thought their all-inclusive holiday deal covered an entire island were left stunned when a local restaurant asked them to pay for their meal.
The middle-aged pair tried to leave the tavern, situated outside of their hotel in Rhodes, and showed baffled waiters their resort wristbands when asked to pay.
The owner of the restaurant in the Greek island’s Old Town was forced to explain that the all-inclusive deal only applied to their hotel – not the whole of the 50-mile long island.
The couple had genuinely believed they could eat without paying at the establishment, Dimokratiki reported.
They agreed to pay for the meal after the owner explained that the restaurant in tourist hotspot, Hippocrates Square, was not covered by their hotel package.
The owner, who has not been named, claimed that this was not the first time a couple had made this mistake.
He said that another group of tourists also tried to walk away with a free meal last year.
Local businesses have suffered when situated near all-inclusive hotels in Greece, according to Fonien.
There are hundreds of all-inclusive hotels on the Greek islands and on the mainland in resorts such as Agios Nikolaos in Crete and Kardamena in Kos.
Extra bills for meals, drinks and entertainment
They are popular with families on a budget who know that once they have paid, they will not face extra bills for meals, drinks and entertainment.
Around two-thirds of UK tourists on European all-inclusive holidays spend an average of more than £250 on extra meals and drinks in local restaurants, according to a study taken last year.
A survey of almost 100 adults for Post Office Travel Money found 65 per cent pay for additional expenses despite booking an all-inclusive trip.
Among this group, the average extra expenditure was £254, with eating out, £60, alcoholic drinks, £46, and snacks, £33, making the biggest dent in their spending money.
Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: ‘The all-inclusive holiday generation is now showing clear signs of having more realistic expectations and no longer assume everything to be included in the package.
‘Most holidaymakers now prefer to get out and about, spending money in local restaurants and cafes where they will get a real flavour of their holiday resort.
‘That is good news for local businesses but it means that holiday cash may be stretched.’
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RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
