The Low Season Advantage for Group Tours
By Imma D’Alessandro, Group Tour Shop's Travel Product Executive
In group travel, peak seasons tend to dominate the conversation, and for good reason. They deliver strong bookings and high demand. But that demand comes with trade-offs: premium costs, operational challenges, and limited flexibility.
In contrast, low season programming flips this equation, delivering cost advantages, operational simplicity, and strategic flexibility.
As the industry expands beyond peak-only strategies, more operators are discovering the competitive edge that balanced, year-round programming provides. By moving away from sole reliance on peak season volume, they're capitalising on low season's distinct benefits while improving margins and simplifying operations.
Lower Costs, Higher Flexibility
Hotel rates typically drop 30–50% in key European destinations during shoulder seasons, depending on location, star rating, and local events. Flights, coaches, and excursions often follow a similar pattern.
For group tours, these cost reductions open up real possibilities: longer itineraries, upgraded accommodations, or added inclusions. All without increasing the total price point for guests.
Suppliers are also more willing to offer added value during quieter periods. Complimentary upgrades, flexible cancellation terms, or private access to attractions become easier to negotiate when competition is lower.
Simpler Operations
Off-peak travel reduces many of the operational stressors that define high season.
Fewer crowds mean fewer delays. Attractions are easier to access, guides have more flexibility, and itineraries are more likely to stay on schedule. Even seemingly small things, like parking availability or traffic routing, can have a noticeable impact on the flow of a coach tour.
With less pressure on infrastructure and suppliers, your team can focus more on quality delivery and less on putting out fires.
A Better Guest Experience
Low season often leads to a calmer, more personal experience.
With fewer travellers in the destination, guests tend to feel less rushed and more connected to the places they're visiting. Hotel staff have more time to respond to special requests. Local guides can tailor their commentary. Even meals can feel more relaxed and authentic.
For many travellers, that sense of space and attention makes the difference between a good trip and a memorable one.
Enhanced Market Positioning
Off-peak travel naturally helps distribute visitor impact more evenly throughout the year, easing pressure on high-demand destinations during peak periods. This aligns with growing traveller awareness around environmental and social sustainability.
Corporate and institutional clients are also increasingly incorporating sustainability criteria into their travel procurement decisions. This creates a competitive advantage for operators who can position low season departures as part of a responsible tourism strategy.
For destinations struggling with overtourism, operators offering well-designed low season programs are often seen as valuable partners, opening the door to preferred relationships and long-term collaboration.
A Smarter Business Model
Adding low season departures can help smooth out revenue across the calendar, reducing reliance on a handful of peak periods and creating more consistent cash flow.
It can also make your business more resilient. Weather disruptions, labour strikes, and pricing volatility tend to cluster in high-demand months. Spreading risk through the year gives you more options and more control.
Of course, low season isn’t a fit for every product or market. Some demographics, like school groups or families, may be locked into fixed travel windows. Certain destinations reduce hours or close attractions altogether. But for many operators, these challenges can be addressed through smart itinerary design and clear guest communication.
Even one or two departures in shoulder months can serve as a useful test, and may lead to loyal repeat travellers who appreciate the slower pace.
The Bottom Line
Low season doesn’t mean lower quality; it just means a different kind of experience. One that can offer deeper cultural connection, smoother logistics, and better value, for both the traveller and the operator.
Group Tour Shop (GTS) | White-label group tour solutions.
20+ Years of group travel expertise | Your groups, our insights.
www.grouptourshop.com