The three reasons you should go on holiday during ‘shoulder’ season – and it’s not just to save money
THE summer holidays have arrived, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the best time to be going on holiday.
In fact, some people believe it’s one of the worst times to be going abroad, with “shoulder season” seen as a much more sensible option.
For those who aren’t aware of the term, shoulder season is the period between high and low season, when there are still benefits to visiting tourist destinations, without there being too many tourists there.
In fact, fewer crowds is one of the main reasons people should travel out of peak holiday season, according to Positive News.
They claim that queues are shorter for attractions, making it less stressful to visit them, even in some of the more popular locations.
They said: “Travelling outside of the peak season means fewer travellers. That’s fewer people arching their necks to see the Mona Lisa and shorter queues for the La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, to name a couple of examples. Even popular destinations like Greece and Sicily are much quieter.”
Fewer tourists means less demand for tickets, flights and hotels, which can also mean things end up being much cheaper than they otherwise would be during the busy summer months.
In fact, some holiday hotspots are known to crank their rates up by as much as half during the summer holidays.
Positive News continued: “Hotels often offer deals or slash rack rates to encourage visitors to stay during the shoulder seasons. It’s also not uncommon for rates to be raised during peak season. For example, accommodation prices in Faro, Portugal are up to 50 per cent lower out of peak season.”
The main reason people choose to travel during the summer months is because of the warm weather.
However, the scorching temperatures seen in Southern Europe this year are a little too warm for most travellers.
Things tend to be cooler during the shoulder season period, making holidays a little less uncomfortable and overall more enjoyable, while still being hot and sunny.
PN added: “Temperatures reached 47C in Sicily earlier this month, while holidaymakers are being evacuated from the Greek island of Rhodes amid raging wildfires. Enjoy more moderate temperatures by holidaying in September or October, when many places are still sunny and dry.”
Another benefit to flying in the months either side of peak travel season is more reliable travel.
Research produced by travel booking site Expedia revealed that later the summer months are the most problematic, while shoulder season flights run a lot smoother.
Historically, March is the most reliable month to travel, with the shortest average length of delays, compared to July with the highest (184 minutes on average).
The research also suggested that by booking flights that take off earlier in the day, passengers give themselves a better chance of travelling without any problems.
Flights that depart after 3pm have the highest chance of being cancelled – a 50 per cent higher chance, on average, than those that depart earlier in the day.
Meanwhile this travel expert revealed the three steps they follow to keep their holiday costs down.
Mystery holidays can also help people get away for cheap.