Off season travel marketing keeps bookings moving when demand is low. Offer a real reason to travel now, such as lower rates, fewer crowds or a monsoon package. Write to past guests and enquirers in short messages with honest terms, and tell them what the quiet season is actually like at your destination.
By Rohit Jadhav. Last reviewed 25 October 2026. This is operational guidance, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements for your messages.
Every hotel, resort and tour operator knows the quiet months. Rooms stay empty, drivers are idle and fixed costs keep running. Off season travel marketing is how you fill some of those gaps without cheapening your brand. This guide is part of our seasonal marketing series, which starts with the Diwali SMS campaign guide. If you run a hotel or agency, see our bulk SMS for travel agencies page for how SMS fits into travel businesses.
What is off season travel marketing?
Off season travel marketing is promotion aimed at the months when demand for a destination or service is lowest. The aim is to give travellers a good reason to book then, such as a lower price, a different experience or a flexible package, so that you earn some revenue instead of none.
It is not the same as a clearance sale. A clearance sale says "we are desperate". A good off-season offer says "this is a great time to go, and here is why".
Which customers respond to off-season offers?
Some travellers prefer the quiet season. They include retired couples, remote workers, people with flexible leave, photographers, honeymooners avoiding crowds and local residents who want a short break nearby. Start with people in your own list who match these profiles: past guests who travelled at odd times, people who asked about quiet periods and people who live within driving distance.
Your numbers must be ones people gave you for this purpose. Under TRAI's regulations, promotional messages go to people who have not blocked that category unless you hold explicit consent, and they carry an opt-out. Do not buy lists.
What can you offer in the quiet season?
An off-season offer needs a real benefit. Options:
- A lower rate with clear dates and conditions.
- An added extra such as a free breakfast, a late checkout or a local experience, in place of a discount.
- A different product such as a monsoon retreat, a wellness package or a birdwatching weekend.
- Flexible cancellation for people who worry about weather.
- A loyalty reward for past guests who return in the quiet months.
Be honest about the conditions. If it rains every afternoon in July, say so and sell the green hills and the empty trails. People forgive weather they were told about.
What do good off-season messages look like?
Short, specific and honest. Examples with placeholders (match them to your registered template):
- "[Hotel name]: Monsoon rates from [date] to [date]. Quiet trails, green views, [inclusion]. Book: [number]."
- "Thank you for staying with us in [month]. Return in [low month] and enjoy [benefit]. Details: [link]."
- "[Agency]: [Destination] looks different in [month]. See our [N]-night plan: [link]."
For WhatsApp, share photos of the destination as it is in that season. Use it with people who opted in, and use approved templates to start the chat, as Meta's policy requires. Our guide to festive season SMS marketing explains how to combine the two channels.
How do you protect your brand while discounting?
Keep your peak-season price visible and describe the off-season rate as a seasonal rate, not a markdown. Offer value additions before cutting price, because a cut is hard to reverse. Limit the offer to specific dates so that it does not leak into your busy months. And tell your regular guests first, so that they do not feel they overpaid.
How do you measure the result?
Count the bookings in the quiet months and compare them with the same months last year. Add a distinct phone number, link or code to each message so you can see where bookings came from. Track opt-outs too, since a rise tells you the offers are not welcome. Do not claim success on the basis of messages sent.
When the season turns, our guide to travel season marketing SMS covers the busy-season side, and the IPL campaign guide shows how to use a big event in a quiet period.
A worked example (hypothetical)
A resort in a hill region has about 600 room-nights unsold across the monsoon months. This is an invented example. It messages 1,100 past guests and enquirers who consented, offering a "monsoon stay" with a free guided walk. It limits the offer to weekdays so that its weekend rates are protected. Twenty guests book in the first week. The resort checks which message produced each booking, finds that the SMS with a clear date range did better than the one with a vague "limited time" line, and uses that wording for the next batch.
Common mistakes in off-season marketing
- Sounding desperate. Sell the quiet season as an advantage.
- Hiding the weather. Be upfront about rain or cold.
- Discounting too deeply. Add value first.
- Letting offers leak into peak months. State dates clearly.
- Messaging everyone. Target people who travel in quiet periods.
- Not telling regular guests. They notice.
- No tracking. You cannot tell what worked.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to promote off-season travel?
Give a real reason to travel then, such as a lower rate or a different experience, and say so plainly. Target past guests and enquirers, keep messages short and honest, and limit the offer to specific dates.
Should hotels send SMS or WhatsApp for off-season offers?
Both can work. SMS is good for the offer and the date. WhatsApp is better for photos and questions, but only with people who opted in. Many hotels send an SMS and invite replies on WhatsApp.
Can I send off-season offers to past guests without asking again?
If they gave their number and agreed to hear about offers, yes, using a registered sender and approved template, and with an opt-out. If they gave it only for a booking, check your records and your provider's advice before sending promotions.
How much discount should I give in the quiet season?
There is no fixed figure. Start by adding value and test a modest rate cut on a small group. Watch bookings and your regular guests' reactions before widening it.
How far ahead should I promote an off-season offer?
Early enough for people to plan, which for travel usually means weeks before the dates. Look at when last year's off-season bookings came in and send your first message a little before that.
Sources checked
All checked on 25 October 2026.
- TRAI, consolidated Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (promotional messages, consent, opt-out, registered senders)
- Meta, WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (last updated 23 September 2026) (opt-in and approved templates)
If you are planning an off-season campaign and want to talk through lists and templates, you can reach our team through the contact page.