For a long time, vacation rentals followed a simple rhythm: summer pays off, winter slows down.
A well-known pattern... but now a thing of the past.
In recent years, and particularly in 2024-2025, travelers have completely shaken up the rules of the calendar.
They book more often, longer, later in the year...
And above all, they travel out of season, a behavior that was once marginal and is now becoming a real structuring trend.
And among all the months long considered “quiet”, one has quietly emerged: Winter.
No, it's no longer a low season. It has become a strategic, profitable and underexploited moment.
In this article, OIQIA explains why and above all, what this means for your home.
Off-season travel is no longer an “economic” choice, it has become a lifestyle.
Travelers today are looking for:
Places that are less saturated => They want to enjoy cities, museums, and restaurants without the crowds of July-August.
Their priority: to breathe, to take their time, to live a more authentic experience.
Better quality-price => Outside of summer, plane tickets, trains and certain leisure activities are more accessible.
The result: we travel more often and more easily.
Flexibility made possible by teleworking => A determining factor.
Travelers can now leave during the week, outside of school holidays or even during periods that are usually “quiet”
Stays of 4 to 10 days are increasing, even in October, February or March.
A search for more real experiences => They want to live “like locals”: take advantage of markets, cafes, lively streets, seasonal activities in fact they are looking for a slow and immersive discovery.
Off season = more contact, less surface, more depth.
For you proprietors : it is the assurance of a filling that no longer depends solely on summer.
There are two main types of winter trips, with completely different expectations:
1.Seasonal stays in the mountains
They remain a must in winter and seduce with their authentic atmosphere and their skiing activities.
• Highly sought-after accommodations during the high season
• Short, rhythmic and immersive stays
• High expectations concerning the proximity of the slopes, the areas dedicated to equipment and thermal comfort
• A generally larger budget, linked to the period and location
Demand is concentrated over a few key weeks, creating a natural peak of interest.
2. Winter urban stays
A growing trend in France, attracting a wider and varied audience:
• More accessible and spread over a longer period of time
• Diverse experiences
• Bookings that are often later
• Generally longer stays
Travelers are mainly looking for ambiance, cultural discovery, gastronomy and comfort, rather than a unique activity.
Among the off-season periods, winter saw the most dramatic increase.
Why?
Because the winter of 2024-2025 brought to light several very powerful engines:
December, January and February are no longer “empty” months.
Travelers rush to:
Major French cities particularly attract:
Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Toulouse, Toulouse, Toulouse, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Lille, Marseille, Nice...
But they are not the only ones.
Small towns and villages appeal just as much, sometimes even more so for those looking for peace, charm and a more authentic experience.
There is a growing demand for cities such as Colmar, Annecy, Castres...
Unlike French travelers, international tourists travel all year round. For them, winter in France is not a hindrance, but a real experience.
If you are interested in the subject, our latest blog post explains how to attract this type of traveller as an owner.
They like:
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Winter creates a very particular type of stay: The comforting stay.
Travelers are spending more time in the house, which is changing everything.
They value more:
What was once a “plus” is now becoming a decisive element in booking.
January and February have become strategic months for hybrid workers.
With good wifi, a comfortable chair, and a quiet environment, it all comes together.
Our Article on Digital Nomads tells you more about the opportunity these travelers represent and what they are really looking for.
Winter has become a time when an apartment can really perform, sometimes as well as in June.
No more “summer = high season/winter = break” logic.
Today:
✔️ The off-season fills up the calendars
✔️ Winter attracts quieter and more respectful customers
✔️ the length of stay is increasing
✔️ the competition is lower
✔️ rates remain stable if the accommodation is well presented
✔️ travelers are looking for more quality
Clearly, the off-season has become the smart season.
And if your home is well decorated, well heated, clean, clean, comfortable, well photographed, well managed... → it can capture this demand without any problem.
The off-season and winter are attracting a new generation of travelers: more attentive, more demanding, more sensitive to the global experience.
And this is precisely where many accommodations are losing ground: poor light, summer photos, inconsistent prices, lack of information adapted to the season, late responses...
At OIQIA, we identified this change and adjusted our methods to transform this long “weak” period into a real profitable season for our owners.
Here's what really makes a difference:
- Announcements adapted to the season:
We highlight the assets that matter to a traveller depending on the time of year: comfort, atmosphere, calm, remote working, environment, transport.
- Professional photos with a warm look
Because winter is not the light of August: you need visuals that make you want to take refuge there.
Our professional photos highlight:
✔ the warmth of the materials
✔ colors that reassure
✔ the cozy atmosphere
✔ workspaces for teleworking
✔ the details that make the difference in winter
- In winter, travelers go out less, they think more.
They want to know where to go for a walk when it is cold, where to drink a good hot chocolate, what exhibition to see, where to dine without making mistakes, how to enjoy the city in an “off-season” version.
Our welcome booklet (FR/EN) integrates all this, adapted to the destination.
- Very responsive traveller assistance
Winter generates more late arrivals (it gets dark early), more practical questions (heating, humidity, access), more international travelers and more logistical contingencies
Our travel assistance is there for that: fast, multilingual, proactive.
This saves you messages at 11 pm, misunderstandings and unpleasant surprises.
- An impeccable cleaning + checklists
Winter travelers stay longer, observe more details.
We are strengthening standards.
Off-season is no longer an “annex” category.
It has become a strategy, a movement, a new way of traveling.
And winter is now a driver: profitable, under-exploited, in high demand and perfectly compatible with short-term rentals.
For owners, it's a chance: less competition, more peace and quiet, more longer stays, more international travelers... and professional management that turns everything into solid and stable profitability.
The calendar no longer has the same rules.
For owners who want to attract and welcome travelers calmly even in the off-season and winter, OIQIA coordinates all the tools and services necessary for professional and stress-free management: make an appointment with an advisor.
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