A tried-and-true hack for many financially conscientious travelers, the off-season can be a great time to pack those bags and head out on a vacation. While it’s been the industry’s best-kept secret for quite a while, recent trends and data suggest that this period of time no longer offers the same benefits as before. To better understand this shift, let’s explore some of its potential causes and take a look at the current state of the off-season.
The Perks
Since the off-season is mainly the down period outside of when most travelers prefer to visit a particular destination, perks such as smaller crowds and better discounts are associated with this timeframe of travel. Summer, winter and spring breaks often see a spike in pricing for airfare and hotels, as these are the most convenient times for many people to travel. Those months also align with other factors, such as sporting seasons, festivals, and weather, that drive the demand. Traditionally, couples, single adults, retired parents and everyone in between with flexible schedules have worked around peak season to snag some impressive savings and avoid the crowds, though this may no longer be the case.
The Data
It seems many of the changes in our world today can be attributed to the pandemic in some shape or form, and this one is no different. A recent MBO Partners survey found that since 2019, the rise of digital nomads — people who work and travel simultaneously — has grown by 147%. While plenty of corporate workers are heading back into the office post-pandemic, many more are exploring the overlap between work and travel. Considering the increase in travelers who have flexible schedules in addition to bargain hunters, the steady flow of visitors coming in year-round means that off-season pricing may not drop as significantly.
Weather is also another factor that could be shifting the timeline in which individuals travel. 2023 and 2024 saw unprecedented temperatures in many popular international destinations, especially Europe. Heat waves, flash flooding and changing monsoon seasons are occurring at different times than what is standard, and the unpredictable weather patterns could push visitors to plan trips into the shoulder and off seasons to avoid those potential risks.
No matter the reason why this shift into the off-season is occurring, the more important conversation is that the shift is happening. In fact, a 2024 Travel Trends Report from Zicasso, a luxury travel company, analyzed over 40,000 trip requests, finding that 41% of respondents felt the high season for travel was lasting longer than expected and trips were being extended into traditionally less busy months. Additionally, 43% of respondents reported a steady influx of trips throughout the year, with no distinguishable low season.
What It Means
Recent analytics show that the benefits of discounts and minimal crowds associated with the off-season are shrinking as travelers extend their trips further into the year. Other external factors, such as the ebbs and flows of the U.S. and world economies, are keeping airfare and hotel pricing in flux throughout the entirety of the year, even during periods when savings are normally high. Because of the constant changes in the travel industry and the world around us, finding good deals and savings for travelers isn’t as cut and dry anymore; it’s feasible for the off-season to not offer the best prices for a particular destination.
This change to the travel landscape is certainly a gradual one and is even met with some skepticism from travelers, advisors and suppliers about its validity. Whether or not it’s a permanent shift in the industry, keeping an eye on the evolving environmental and global factors that play a role in this will help to determine what the future of travel looks like in the coming months and years.
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