Low season: create reasons, don't cut prices
One hotel cuts prices in the low season. Another creates reasons to travel. Which one do you think comes out ahead? International examples and how to apply it at your hotel.
There are two ways to face the low season. One is to cut prices and hope guests show up. The other is to create reasons for people to want to travel during the low season.
The second takes more work up front. And it's far more profitable.
International examples that work
Tuscany, Italy — culinary tourism: hotels in the region turned the low season into "harvest season". Packages that include winery visits, dinners with local producers, and experiences that only exist at that time of year. The result: guests who go specifically in the low season because that's what they're after.
Iceland — northern lights: the coldest, darkest season of the year became the most sought-after time to visit the country. The "low season" is now high season for a specific segment.
Portugal — fall workations: hotels in Lisbon and Porto started promoting remote-work stays in October-November. Mild weather, fewer tourists, reasonable prices. The digital nomad who can't go in summer goes in the fall.
Mexico — wellness retreats: hotels in Oaxaca and Yucatán turn January (the post-holiday low season) into a season for yoga, meditation, and detox retreats. A segment that actively seeks out that quiet period.
How to apply it at your hotel
- Define who you want to speak to in the low season: nomads, local families, couples, groups of friends.
- Design a specific experience for that person: it's not just "room + breakfast at a special price". It's something that person can't find at any other time of year.
- Show it on your website and social media with enough lead time: travelers plan weeks ahead.
- Build partnerships with local businesses: restaurants, guides, producers, instructors. The local experience is what converts.
— Gonzalo Rioja
