TORONTO — It used to be that if you wanted to travel and save a few bucks at the same time, you’d book a vacation in the off-season. Europe in April or the Caribbean in June would typically mean lower airfare and cheaper hotel rates and packages, saving you upwards of hundreds of dollars.

It’s no surprise then that with today’s high cost of living and overtourism leading to massive crowds, more and more people are choosing to travel during the off-season and shoulder months (the period between a region’s peak season and off-season). But with travel being more spread out throughout the year nowadays, is there still such a thing as cheaper off-peak rates? 

“Yes, travelling during the shoulder months is still cheaper despite more people travelling off-season,” says Marie-Ève Vallières, Senior Content Advisor at Transat. “This is because many travellers, like families with school-aged children, are still bound to specific travel times, such as school holidays. Additionally, traditional vacationing periods like August in Europe continue to draw large crowds to a small number of destinations.”

Mike Quinto, Managing Director-Canada at Exoticca, can also attest to more affordable rates in the shoulder and off-season months, telling Travelweek that on average, travellers can expect to save anywhere from $300 to $800.

“It’s currently still more economical to travel to Europe in shoulder months, even with the influx in passengers travelling. It still doesn’t make up for everyone travelling in the summertime. There’s also more availability in shoulder months and we don’t expect that to change anytime soon,” says Quinto. 

EXACTLY HOW MUCH CAN TRAVELLERS SAVE?

It’s not just a myth – off-season and shoulder season rates really are lower than those in the high season. But is it enough to convince clients to finally book that bucket-list trip, or even book multiple trips in off-season months? 

Dave Cecco, Vice President and General Manager at WestJet Vacations, says that on average, guests travelling to popular Sun destinations like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Punta Cana in June can save up to $750 per person compared to travelling in the peak month of December. 

Exoticca’s Quinto says a 10-day tour of Portugal departing in March is priced at $1,699 compared to $2,299 in June or July. 

And Steve Born, chief marketing officer at Globus family of brands, says that the company’s off-season vacations, Escapes by Globus, are on average 30% more affordable than high-season itineraries. They’re now Globus’ fastest-selling land tours, post-pandemic.

“Our Escapes by Globus tour series operates between November and March and visit the same destinations and offer the same inclusions, including the services of a Tour Director, allowing guests to enjoy the same experience for less,” says Born. “For example, our ‘Italian Escape’ per diem is 23% less than our most popular high-season tour, the ‘Irish Escape’ is 26% less, and the ‘Portuguese Escape’ is 34% less.”

HOW BUSY HAS THE OFF-SEASON BECOME?

Though certainly not as busy as peak season months, the off-season is definitely gaining in popularity among Canadians for various reasons. 

“We are absolutely seeing a trend where clients are choosing to travel to Europe between March and May, and September and November to avoid the summer months, which come with much hotter weather, more crowds, longer queues and higher costs,” says Exoticca’s Quinto. “For example, in 2023 we saw April, May, September and October had a 72% increase in passenger numbers over the prior year, and we are continuing to see that trend in 2024.”

WestJet Vacations’ Cecco has also seen an increase in Sun bookings for the off-season in 2024, due in large part to ramped up summer lift schedules. These include a 57% growth in Latin and Caribbean routes over summer 2023, and a 56% increase in capacity from Toronto to Sun destinations. WestJet also offers more flights between Hawaii and Canada than any other airline, and is the only airline providing year-round service between Canada and Maui-Kahului from both Calgary and Vancouver.

However, Cecco is also quick to note that 75% of the company’s guest volume is still travelling over the winter period, between November and April.

WHY ELSE SHOULD YOU TRAVEL IN THE OFF-SEASON?

Besides the obvious – the significant savings in airfare, hotels and packages – travelling in the off-season presents several other benefits. 

“During the off-season, guests have the benefit of less busy hotels and attractions, plus summer weather in the Caribbean can be unpredictable, yet hot,” says Cecco. “Guests should also be conscious of the Caribbean hurricane season, which is at its peak during the later summer/early fall months.”

In addition to better weather (“Last year’s heat wave in Europe saw some places soar to over 38 degrees Celsius during the summer months”), Exoticca’s Quinto also says to expect better service during the off- and shoulder seasons because hotels and restaurants will be less busy.

And according to Transat’s Vallières, more travellers are opting for the off-season due to the rise in flexible work schedules and the increasing popularity of remote work.

“This flexibility allows travellers to foster deeper connections with locals and enrich their overall travel experience,” she says. “Travellers visiting Europe during the off-season can save not only on airfare, but also in accommodations and excursions, which are notoriously cheaper during these less popular travel periods. Currently, we are in the process of annualizing specific key routes in Europe to provide more affordable and convenient options for travellers year-round.”

WHERE SHOULD YOU GO IN THE OFF-SEASON?

So many savings, so many destinations – but which ones offer the biggest savings during the off-season?

“Multi-country ‘Imperial Splendors,’ Greece cruise/tours and Portugal tours head the list of biggest savings in the off-season,” says Globus family of brands’ Born, “but across the board, travellers can expect to pay 20%-30% less on any Escapes tour they choose.”

Exoticca’s Quinto also namechecks Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy and France as the top five European destinations with the biggest off-season savings. “However, the UK, Ireland, Iceland and Turkey would also be right up there,” he adds.

As for Sun destinations, WestJet Vacations’ Cecco says “guests looking to maximize savings while travelling in the off-season will often find the best value on packages to Mexico, specifically Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, as well as Punta Cana.”