How the Pandemic Changed Travel’s Off-Season

Increased demand for beach and outdoor travel and more flexible work schedules have all but eliminated the shoulder and off-seasons in some popular destinations.

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Justin Todd used to be able to predict when business would be slower. Having been in the hospitality industry in Aspen, Colorado, for 15 years, he knew that the period between the snow going to slush and the wildflowers blooming would see a lull. From mid-April to early June, many Aspen properties, including Aspen Meadows Resort, where he is the general manager, would shut down—there wasn’t enough business to justify staying open. Companies often used that window to make repairs, deep clean, and complete projects. It was also a time for staff to decamp for their own vacations and locals to have their community all to themselves.

However, since the beginning of the pandemic, that period of rest has been disrupted.

“Things are definitely busier now,” said Todd of shoulder season, adding that his resort is currently staying open year-round—occupancy rates above 70 percent for what was previously the slow season made it an easy choice from a business perspective.

Aspen isn’t alone. Across the country, destinations have noticed a shift in traditional travel seasons. Many other places that have historically opted to close during the slower periods, like the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, are now staying open all year because there’s so much more demand.