Those in the know, both travelers and their travel advisors alike, are well aware that venturing out in the off season has palpable advantages. Namely, fewer crowds and better pricing. We talked to several travel advisors who are successfully selling off-peak travel about the why, when, where, and how of these types of trips.
The why
First, the benefits of traveling in the off-peak season, according to Steve Lincoln, owner, Lincoln Travel: “Since the demand isn’t as great in low season, airfares, lodging, tours, and cruises are typically much less expensive. Decreased demand results in fewer, and smaller, crowds. Travelers are able to spend more time enjoying their destination rather than navigating crowds.”
And those positive experiences can easily result in repeat business. “I’ve noticed that with many clients, once they travel to certain destinations in the off-peak season, they’ll never consider going again during high season,” adds Lincoln. “Lower pricing tends to allow many to give consideration to a longer trip, back-to-back trip, or even multiple trips. It’s a perfect opportunity to introduce the idea!”
Where and when to go
Next up, where do travel advisors send their clients during off seasons, and which months are best for traveling to those destinations?
Lori Coleman, leisure travel specialist, Altair Travel offers: “I book many river cruises on the Rhine River and Danube River in the spring and late fall because I can find great discounts or free land packages to enhance my client’s vacation. March/April and October/early November are great months to receive good promotions or discounts, and still have nice weather.
For example, Coleman says she “booked a river cruise for my client who received a 3-night Lake Como land package valued at $1,560 per person complimentary. They were thrilled with this huge discount! When they returned home, they came into the office with a gift and told me adding the land package to the river cruise made it a truly amazing experience and thanked me for guiding them to the off-season promotion.”
As for Lincoln: “The vast majority of my business involves Europe. This past winter, I booked a family group on a river cruise through the Dutch and Belgian Waterways. While the ship was full, the ports they visited were not. In most cases, theirs was the only ship in port. They had no problem getting tickets to visit the Anne Frank House; there were no crowds at the Kinderdijk Windmills; and they were able to spend extra time visiting the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. They were really excited with the ease of walking through Bruges, having extra time to visit the shops, and the ability to take the canal cruise without having to wait for an available boat. They described it as the ‘perfect day’ for meandering through this beautiful city.”
Pam Cheek, senior travel agent, Globe Getaways, agrees that “European river cruises are perfect for off-season travel. Cruise lines offer options as early as February, and of course, through December for Christmas Markets. I had clients traveling this year on the Rhine River in mid-March and they loved it. There were no crowds, the weather was cool but comfortable with a coat during the day, and of course the ships are temperature controlled so they were very comfortable while onboard. Travel in November can also result in excellent pricing and again, lower crowds, which is a huge plus when visiting Europe.”
Among the advisors we spoke to, it was unanimous that river cruising in Europe is a top choice for off-season travel. Mimi Comfort, president and owner, Cruise Holidays of Kansas City, concurs: “Typically the destinations we book for off-peak travel are European destinations either early in the season, for river cruises November or early December. A few years ago, we had a group on a holiday sailing, and although it wasn’t a Christmas Market cruise, it was still magical!”
Expanding beyond Europe, Comfort also notes that the off season in Alaska is wintertime, and that is the best time to see the Northern Lights, and maybe take in the Iditarod race, which for some, is a bucket list adventure.
Is there any downside?
What are the tradeoffs for traveling in the off season? Minimal, at best. But advisors must be aware, and prepare their clients accordingly.
“Weather and temperature can always be considered a downside,” cautions Lincoln. “I’m fortunate because I live in an area with four seasons. I remind my clients that it’s no colder in many destinations than it is here. Likewise, I remind them that in some places, such as Europe or even Vietnam and Cambodia, it can be uncomfortably hot during high season.”
Cheek points out that “the most important factor is to help your clients understand the potential problems as well as the benefits of traveling off-season, and prepare them for how any problems will be managed. Right expectations create a high level of comfort for the client if any issues should arise. Information is powerful, and I try to empower my clients to make decisions that fit their needs, interests, and budget.”
What’s trending
“New trends with off-peak travel include clients extending their stays, since they can take advantage of savings when doing back-to-back journeys, sometimes as much as 20% off, and taking advantage of the lower airfare to fly once and combine longer experiences. For example, they could take two different rivers, such as the Rhine with Belgium and Holland, or combining Seine and Bordeaux or Seine and Provence,” reports Cheek.
And she adds: “Post-Covid, clients want more in-depth experiences without crowds, and often the savings are not as large of a motivation as the ability to travel with fewer people in ports and towns they visit. Clients are looking for smaller ships and high levels of luxury onboard, as well as curated itineraries and experiences. Off-peak travel can be perfect for matching these expectations to reality. This is true for both river and ocean voyages.”
Coleman is seeing that “clients who are retired give a wide window range of dates they are available to travel, and they are looking for me to find the best value during their flexible dates. I especially see the newly retired group with great flexibility in their travel schedules. A good age range would be 60-75 years old.”
And Comfort has noticed a trend of more last-minute bookings, as long as air and hotel pricing are good.
Tips from advisors
At TMR, we know that our readers especially value hearing practical business tips from their travel advisor peers. To that end, we give you Comfort’s best advice for recommending off-peak travel: “It’s a good idea to show your clients two options: one during peak season and the other during off peak, so they can see how much they are saving. You might end up being the HERO to them, and they will come back to you next time, as they know you are looking out for them.”
Similarly, Lincoln suggests: “If you are met with apprehension over price, offer an off-peak comparison. Listen carefully to any concerns, and be prepared to overcome them by giving sound advice and suggestions.
“Likewise, pay close attention to your bottom line. Lower prices mean less revenue. Many tour companies pay a lower commission for their off- season product. It may be the perfect time to consider implementing a professional planning fee to help augment your income.”
Cheek recommends: “Travel agents need to understand the many benefits they can bring to their clients with off-peak travel. Educating yourself, as well as your clients, is a significant move toward bringing the benefits to your clients in a positive manner that helps them make good choices, and have confidence in choosing what is best for their travel needs.”
Coleman’s top tip is: “I would suggest to other advisors to learn where and when the promotions/discounts are given. Be confident in the fact that off-season travel is fabulous, with less crowds and generally less expensive air flights. Clients, no matter how much they are spending, love to save money or receive any bonuses or complimentary travel – especially in luxury travel, I find.”
And lastly, Lincoln relays: “I practice what I preach. I’ve been in business for 42 years and I travel a fair amount. Many of my more memorable trips have taken place during low season. I don’t like heat, I don’t like crowds, I don’t like waiting in line … It’s a perfect win-win situation, and many of my clients couldn’t agree more.”
FROM THE SPONSOR:
AmaWaterways Embraces Off-Peak River Cruising
With more and more travelers seeking vacations in off-peak seasons, award-winning AmaWaterways is rising to the occasion with exceptional river cruises that meet your clients’ needs.
AmaWaterways has long cruised through Europe in autumn, highlighting ideal weather for their included hiking and biking excursions, and vibrant fall foliage in Germany, Portugal, France and beyond. During Thanksgiving, the ships include a feast with all the trimmings. There are also dozens of specially curated, host-led Celebration of Wine River Cruises enabling guests to sample the region’s new wines just after the harvest. For sales tips, social media resources and more, view AmaWaterways’ Autumn Sailings in Europe and Food & Wine Enthusiast toolkits, available within your Travel Advisor Portal.
Following an extended season that began with their premier February cruises on European rivers, AmaWaterways unveiled four itineraries that will embark in February 2025. Whether your clients are seeking guided tours free from holiday crowds or perhaps an extended Valentine’s celebration, these sailings showcase the quiet authenticity of tranquil towns dusted with fresh snowfall and rich cultural events exclusively available in winter.
Limited-time offers may be available on select off-peak river cruises. Visit AmaWaterways.com/special-offers for full details.