Jamie Biesciada
LAS VEGAS — Think off-season and winter travel, destinations off the beaten path.
That’s the message to travel advisors from Ignacio Maza, Senior Advisor at Signature Travel Network.
I met Maza last week at Signature’s annual conference here at the Venetian Resort.
Maza said he visits destinations outside of the normal seasonal flow.
“This trend will only continue to grow, so we need to educate ourselves,” he said. “What products can you buy in the off-season? Because there are more off-season products than ever before.”
If a customer says they want to visit the Amalfi Coast in December but thinks all the hotels are closed, they should tell them otherwise, Maza said. The same goes for other popular destinations such as Sicily, Mallorca and Algarve.
“Some places are open even in the off-season,” he said. “Previously, the season ended in early October, but now it runs until December. Thanksgiving in Sicily? Okay, you can do that.”
Late fall and winter Mediterranean cruises are also becoming a growing option, according to Maza. He said cruise lines such as Viking, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are offering sailings this year.
Typically, ships head to the Caribbean for the winter, but this year the cruise line is offering Mediterranean itineraries.
Off-season to overcome overtourism
Off-season travel is also attractive to customers wary of overtourism.
It was in February that Maja recently visited Japan, a popular travel destination.
“Will it be cold? Yes,” he said. “Am I going to freeze in the temple? Yes. But will I have the Golden Temple in front of me without the crowds? Is it worth it? It’s really worth it.”
Maza also wants advisors to send clients to places outside of a destination’s most popular attractions.
For example, on a trip to Rome in February, Maja said certain sights, like the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain, were crowded. But he found himself alone with his guide on the Via Appia Way, once one of the most important roads to the Roman Republic. He called it “an amazing moment” when a shepherd passes by with his flock.
“You can still find the magic,” he said. “You just have to work a little harder to find it.”
Some additional examples: arrange a personal experience in a palace in Rome or visit a popular attraction during your downtime. Maza pointed to the Prado Museum in Madrid, which tends to be crowded first thing in the morning. But by about 3:30 or 4 p.m., Maza said, the crowds leave and the result is a much less crowded experience.
“You just have to work a little harder and work with partners who can provide you with all this information,” he said, singling out destination management companies as particularly good resources.
