Off Season Travel Is Worth A Look

By Graham McKenzie

Everyone knows travel can be expensive and it is worth the time and effort to research ways to keep costs down while still enjoying yourself. One of the little known ways of reducing travel costs is to look at the option of traveling off-season. Like any idea, there are advantages as well as disadvantages and you'll want to carefully consider both when trying to decide if off-season travel is a fit for you.

Your travel destination is the first thing you'll want to consider. There are many vacation sites which cater to a particular time of year, such as skiing in the Rockies or mountains of Vermont. These luxury resorts still operate in the spring and summer months, but since the demand for rooms is substantially down, you may be able to book accommodations at a 75% savings! Imagine how much you'll enjoy the luxury of a 5 star hotel at a discount price. Even off-season, such winter resorts try to cater to the summer visitor with packages that include hiking, bike and horseback riding. Lots of ski resorts turn their ski lifts into trips up the mountain to reach the snow-free trails. You'll have more money in your pocket for these activities due to your hotel room savings.

Since Europe is the favorite spot of many tourist in the summer, take a look at visiting in the winter. Hotels and museums are much less crowded and many travel agencies can help with finding discount travel packages that offer amazing savings and allow you to stay in high-end accommodations.

But you'll need to be fully informed so as to travel at a less popular time but still have a great trip. Research individual tourism sites and look for those specific to the overseas country you're interested in. Check the average weather for the time period you're planning and if all the locations you wish to see are open off-season, or if they have reduced hours of operation. If you're not picky about an occasional rain shower or even don't mind the cooler conditions of winter, you'll have many options available.

You should also ensure that you inquire with a few hotels before hand, so that you do not end up looking for a room at the last moment. Even if it is off-season, the hotels might not always have empty rooms. You should also talk to the manager personally and get information about other facilities. You can also try your bargaining techniques to get better rates on account of off-season.

One thing to remember is that some hotels will discount their room prices if they are in the middle of renovations. Be sure to ask if this is the case and if there are any plans for construction work during your visit. What a disappointment it would be to have a lovely room but be disturbed all day and night by the sound of hammering!

The morale of the story is that if you are planning to go for an off-season vacation, you should make sure you have a strong groundwork on the place you want to visit as well as the amenities you can take advantage of during your stay. By keeping these factors in mind, you can actually have a great vacation with great savings. - 29948

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