Travel Trends Report 2025: Off-Season Travel

This eighth article in my annual Travel Trends series investigates the rise in off-season or shoulder-season travel. It is a trend that has been bubbling away for the past two years, in which travelers are looking to travel to a destination at non-typical times. The benefits include fewer crowds, lower costs and the opportunity to find once-overlooked beauty in pivotal times of the year as the seasons change.

Ben Martin, principal of HKS Advisory Services, an architectural and design practice that works with the world’s leading hoteliers, says: “In 2025 we anticipate seeing a continued rise in demand for low season travel in response to both a series of ‘push’ factors from the market and ‘pull’ factors from destinations. The ‘push’ factors include concern among some travelers around the rising temperatures in the summer months in many well-established sun, sea and sand destinations over the last few years. In short, tourists are showing increased interest in holiday bookings during the cooler, shoulder months. Traveling outside of the peak season can also provide greater value for money and fewer crowds can result in an enhanced overall ‘tourist experience’.

He continues: “From a ‘pull’ perspective, some of the most popular destinations have introduced targeted campaigns to encourage off-peak travel. This growing awareness can help ease the pressures associated with visitor demand at peak times, thereby enhancing long-term sustainability from both an environmental and social perspective. In addition, strengthening low-season demand provides a platform for year-round operations and, therefore, both enhanced economic sustainability and full-time employment within the sector. It is a shift to a more host-community focused ‘regenerative’ approach to destination management.”

Tim Hentschel, co-founder of HotelPlanner, says that if you can be flexible with your time, shoulder season travel “feels like a no-brainer”. He comments: “It puts consumers in a far more favourable position if they are willing to let go of some of the sentimentality surrounding peak season travel. For example, New York may be seen as the ideal Christmas experience, but January gives the same charming winter appeal, with far fewer crowds. Ice skating at iconic locations like Rockefeller Centre or Central Park are still available in January, plus hotels and Broadway shows will have better availability and lower prices. Equally so, throughout February, Seville can see highs of 25 degrees—a more pleasant temperature for sightseeing and outdoor activities when compared to the heat in the summer. The summer months attract very large crowds which drives hotel prices up, whereas you can get more for your money during Seville’s off-season months. Hotelplanner.com has shoulder season deals that are over half price.”

The Italian Lakes are one of the most visited places on earth, renowned for their idyllic scenery, but says Grand Hotel Fasano, a 125-year-old hotel overlooking Lake Garda, it is early April—typically regarded as pre-season—that is one of the best times of year to visit.

“Lake Garda is one of Europe’s best-kept off-season travel secrets, and early April is truly one of the best times of year to visit,” says Alice Lancini, director of Sales and Marketing at Grand Hotel Fasano. “It’s a little known fact that Garda enjoys a very particular Mediterranean micro-climate, with April seeing plenty of sunshine and pleasant temperatures of around 18°C. In fact, the most important royal and noble families of yesteryear picked the destination as their winter retreat for this very reason and Grand Hotel Fasano was originally built as the former hunting lodge of the Habsburg dynasty.”

She says: “These conditions offer the perfect opportunity to stroll around the lake and observe the magnificent Mediterranean flora and fauna—including almond, cypress and olive trees—begin to bloom. It is also the ideal time to visit the numerous historical sights and attractions around the area, including the world-famous hillside estate, Il Vittoriale degli Italiani, before the summer crowds descend.”

In the same region of Italy, but this time on Lake Como, Villa d’Este is embracing another time of year. Two seasons ago, it remained open for Christmas and New Year to great success. “As a consequence, Villa d’Este continues to remain open throughout the winter, paving the way for a new era on Lake Como with other hotels on the Lake following suit.” The hotel has introduced a number of experiences for its winter-time guests, including helicopter rides for ski days to Monte Cervino; two cosy glass houses for guests to enjoy views of the lake and winter jazz nights and wine dinners.

In Portugal, meanwhile, W Algarve reports a significant rise in shoulder season bookings following hot weather in September and early October. The hotel has revealed new stats that showed a 30% increase in September and October bookings, compared with the same time last year; while May and June bookings increased by 25%. This echoes findings of a Virtuoso survey that found 82% of its clients are now looking for escapes with more moderate weather. Soaring temperatures in the UK and Europe mean travellers are increasingly shunning super-hot temperatures in favour of shoulder season holidays, making beachside locations, like the Algarve, an ideal choice for an autumn or spring break.

Also in the Algarve, Conrad Algarve, located between the idyllic Ria Formosa Nature Park and the Atlantic coastline, says that the region’s year-round warmth and varied terrain, makes it one of Europe’s sunniest destinations, and perfect for off-season travel. No matter the time of year, guests can experience farm-to-fork foraging experiences as well as having access to six world-class golf courses.

Meanwhile in Crete, where most hotels close at the end of the summer, Grecotel Amirandes is extending its season for the first time to offer year-round hospitality. “This will give guests the chance to experience the charming side of local Cretian life that comes alive on the island after the high tourist season,” says the property. To celebrate its longer season, the hotel has curated a new menu of shoulder-season experiences that highlight local culture and traditional customs to encourage a meaningful connection with its island home. For example, the autumn marks the start of harvest season on Crete with the olive harvest in full swing. Hotel guests are invited to celebrate the ‘liquid gold’ during a private olive harvesting experience. For those with a penchant for history, Amirandes can organise winter day trips to the grand Minoan palaces at Festos and Knossos, as well as to Gortyna for those interested in marvelling at the Gortyn Code, the earliest recorded laws in the Mediterranean, with no crowds in sight.

This post was originally published on here