Off-Season, On Point: How Destinations Are Rethinking Travel Through Trails

By Pru Goudie

The spring ATN Media Meetup took place this week in Whitechapel on a beautiful summer evening, in a location boasting panoramic views over London. ATN hosts these events each spring and autumn, providing an opportunity for leading travel media, tourism boards and operators to come together and share the latest stories and insights over drinks and canapés.

The opening panel, moderated by Lyn Hughes of Wanderlust Magazine, included panellists from global destinations to highlight emerging travel trends, new experiences, and strategies to encourage year-round tourism. Contributors included Tom Panagos from Costa Rica Tourism, Eleni Skarveli from the Greek National Tourism Organisation, Rachael Mathewson from Destination British Columbia and Luisa Uruena from Tourism Nova Scotia.

Eleni Skarveli from the Greek National Tourism Organisation, Luisa Uruena from Tourism Nova Scotia, Rachael Mathewson from Destination British Columbia, Tom Panagos from Costa Rica Tourism and founder and editor-in-chief, Lyn Hughes from Wanderlust Magazine (Moderator)

Across the panel, speakers highlighted a strong shift toward experience-led travel and growing demand for off-season and shoulder-season tourism. There is increasing interest in hiking and long-distance trails, Indigenous and community-led experiences, nature immersion and “slow travel,” as well as remote wilderness lodges and boutique accommodation. Wildlife encounters and seasonal natural phenomena are also becoming major travel motivators. Overall, travellers are increasingly seeking

less crowded destinations, longer stays, authentic cultural connections, and more distinctive, experience-driven places to stay.

The shift from passive sightseeing to immersive, participatory travel was highlighted by Luisa with experiences in Nova Scotia that connect visitors with Indigenous culture, such as interpretive trails featuring carvings that tell the stories of Mi’kmaq communities. She also noted the development of hiking routes like the Franey Trail, now redesigned as a loop with varying difficulty levels, offering rewarding panoramic views.

Franey Trail, Nova Scotia

Similarly, Rachael emphasised British Columbia’s strong focus on Indigenous tourism. New developments include an Indigenous wilderness lodge near Tofino, designed to foster deeper cultural connections alongside nature immersion. BC is also expanding adventure offerings, from remote cruises along the Inside Passage to multi-day hiking trails and backcountry lodges.

Images by Russell Maddicks

In Costa Rica, Tom discussed both infrastructure and experiential growth. Increased flight frequency from London is expected to improve accessibility, with more flights from London to San José: He noted that British Airways is increasing frequency from 3 to 5 flights per week, which significantly boosts overall seat capacity. Trails like the “Camino de Costa Rica” - a coast-to-coast route crossing diverse ecosystems and rural communities - represent opportunities for slow, meaningful travel. However, he noted that such experiences remain under-promoted in the UK market.

Camino de Costa Rica

Greece is also investing heavily in trail networks, particularly in the Peloponnese, where new interconnected routes aim to encourage off-season exploration and connect landscapes with culture and communities. Eleni stressed that these initiatives diversify the traditional summer-focused tourism model and encourage visitors to engage more deeply with local culture and landscapes.

• The project is not just a single route, but a connected network of trails across the Peloponnese

• The trails are intended to encourage visitors to explore the region beyond the peak summer season

• The routes will connect different areas and villages across the peninsula, making it easier for travellers to experience local culture and landscapes on foot

• Access is straightforward via flights to Athens or direct flights to Kalamata

• Eleni positioned the trails as part of Greece’s wider push toward sustainable, experience-led tourism and season extension.

Seasonality was another major discussion point. All speakers acknowledged the challenge of shifting perceptions around “off-season” travel. Costa Rica, for example, is reframing its “rainy season” as the “green season,” highlighting benefits such as better wildlife viewing (e.g., turtles, whales and sloths), more dramatic landscapes and optimal conditions for activities like rafting and surfing.

Other destinations echoed this approach. British Columbia promotes spring for combined skiing and wildlife viewing, and autumn for the salmon run, a major natural spectacle. Nova Scotia is encouraging winter travel through events like its Lobster Crawl Festival, while Greece is seeing extended warm weather into autumn, making months like November increasingly viable for travel.

Finally, the panel explored broader travel trends. There is growing demand for unique, experience-led travel, including nighttime activities such as bioluminescent kayaking in Nova Scotia. Accommodation is also evolving, with Greece offering distinctive stays in caves, windmills and renovated fishermen’s houses. Meanwhile, BC highlighted the rise of Indigenous-owned and women-led tourism businesses, reflecting a broader shift toward sustainability and community empowerment.

Overall, the discussion underscored a global move toward more meaningful, year-round travel experiences that prioritise culture, nature, and local connection over traditional tourism models.

In addition to the insights shared on stage, the event also highlighted the continued importance of face-to-face networking. Bringing together media, tour operators and tourist boards in a relaxed, informal environment creates valuable opportunities for genuine conversation, collaboration and relationship-building.

At a time when the industry is navigating ongoing uncertainty, maintaining open lines of communication with both media and official organisations is more important than ever. These connections help ensure accurate storytelling, strengthen partnerships and ultimately support a more resilient and responsive travel sector.

Thank you to all our supporting tourist boards

The next ATN Media Meetup event will take place on Tuesday 6th October, so if you haven’t yet attended one of these industry favourites, now’s the perfect time - contact Pru to secure your place and join the conversation!

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