In shoulder season, guests travel for different reasons than in peak: fewer crowds, better value, authentic local experiences, workations, wellness, and short breaks around events. That means you don’t “sell the same stay cheaper” – you sell a different reason to book now.
NB: This is an article from Chekin
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To win, you’ll need:
- Smarter demand capture (niches + timing)
- Better conversion (fewer booking barriers)
- Stronger operations (more turnovers, fewer staff hours)
Shoulder season strategies
1. Build a micro-season calendar (not a generic low-season plan)
Treat shoulder season as several mini-seasons:
- Early spring weekends vs midweek corporate
- Autumn city breaks vs rural retreats
- Local festivals, school breaks, bank holidays, sports fixtures
Action steps:
- Create a 90-day rolling calendar of local events and demand spikes.
- Plan campaigns around “long weekends” and event clusters.
- Adjust minimum stay rules and pricing per micro-window.
2. Use value-based dynamic pricing (avoid panic discounts)
Discounting is easy. Recovering ADR is hard.
Instead:
- Set pricing floors (true cost per occupied night + margin).
- Add “value inclusions” to convert without heavy discounts: late checkout, parking, pet fee waiver, welcome pack.
- Use early-bird and last-minute pricing rules with clear guardrails.
3. Shorten minimum stays (selectively) to capture late-booking demand
Shoulder season often means shorter lead times and shorter stays. If you keep rigid minimum stays, you’ll block demand.
Try:
- Weekend 2-night minimum, midweek 1-night minimum (where cleaning logistics allow).
- Event weeks: increase minimum stays only when demand is proven.
- “Gap-filler” rules for orphan nights.
4. Segment guests by motive, not by channel
Shoulder season demand is niche-heavy. Build offers for:
- Remote workers (fast WiFi + desk + monitor)
- Couples (romantic bundles, late checkout)
- Families outside school holidays (discounted extra guest, kid-friendly kit)
- Wellness travellers (spa partnerships, yoga passes)
- Seniors (comfort, accessibility, quieter stays)
Your listing copy and images should match the segment you want.
5. Package experiences with local partners (and promote them as reasons to travel now)
In “in-between” months, people need an excuse to book. Create it.
Examples:
- “Food & wine weekend” with a local restaurant
- “Hiking + hot tub” bundle for rural properties
- “Museum + city pass” for urban stays
- “Festival stay” landing page + itinerary
For hotels and multi-property managers, partnerships can lift conversion more than discounts.
