How to Get More Revenue in Low Season

Let me guess.

You’re staring at your booking calendar right now and it’s looking emptier than the beach in December.

Summer was insane. You were turning people away, working flat out, barely sleeping. The phone wouldn’t stop ringing.

Now? Crickets.

If you run a boat charter, dive center, surf school or any water-based business, you already know how brutal low season can be. One month you’re printing money. The next, you’re wondering how to cover the bills.

But here’s what I’ve noticed working with marine businesses across Europe: the ones thriving year-round aren’t the ones dropping their prices and hoping for the best.

They’re the ones thinking strategically about what low season actually is… and who still wants what they offer.

Let’s talk about some key marketing strategies for tourism businesses experiencing the off-season.

Strategy #1 – Stop chasing tourists. Target locals instead.

This one’s obvious, but most operators ignore it anyway.

Tourists may be scarce during low season, but locals? They’re around all year.

Think about it. How many people live within an hour of your business who have never actually done what you offer? They’ve been meaning to try that boat tour, book that wreck dive, or finally learn how to surf… but summer was too crowded and too expensive.

Low season is their window.

Run targeted ads specifically for nearby residents. Google Ads and Meta Ads are your friends here, especially when you can geo-target within a specific radius.

Your messaging needs to shift completely, though.

Summer messaging: “Perfect beach day! Book your sunset cruise!”

Low season messaging: “Weekend escape without the crowds. Experience the coast the way locals do.”

See the difference?

You’re not pretending it’s summer. You’re leaning into what makes low season appealing: space, authenticity, better value.

Offer “try something new this month” promotions. Create low season packages for locals. Build a monthly membership model where residents get unlimited access or priority booking.

The goal isn’t to replace your tourist revenue entirely. It’s to create a baseline of steady bookings that keep your operation running while you implement the other strategies below.

Strategy #2 – Build strategic partnerships that actually work

Partnerships get talked about a lot, but most operators half-ass them.

They send one email to a hotel, get no response, and give up.

Strategic partnerships during low season require more intention than that.

Here’s what actually works:

Partner with hotels and accommodations in your area

Reach out to hotels, Airbnbs, and vacation rentals with a specific offer. Not “Hey, want to work together?” but “We’d like to offer your guests a 20% discount on our experiences, and we’ll promote your accommodation to our client list.”

Make it mutually beneficial. Make it easy for them to say yes.

Most accommodations are struggling in low season too and they also want to recommend things to do in the area to their guests.

Offer team-building activities for local companies

Corporate team-building is a massively underutilized market for marine businesses.

Companies are looking for unique experiences to get their teams out of the office. A morning surf lesson, a private boat charter, or a team dive experience? That’s memorable.

And the best part? Corporate bookings happen year-round. They’re not tied to tourist seasons at all.

Build a simple corporate package, reach out to HR departments and event planners, and position it as an investment in team culture, not just a fun day out.

Get involved with local tourism networks

Your local tourism board or destination marketing organization is probably running campaigns to attract off-season travelers. Get on their radar.

Attend meetings. Submit your business for their promotional materials. Collaborate on regional packages that bundle multiple experiences together.

Tourism networks exist to drive visitors year-round, but they can only promote businesses that show up and participate.

Strategy #3 – Bring back past customers

Don’t let those relationships die the moment they leave.

Your past customers are some of your most valuable assets, especially in low season. They already know you. They already trust you. They just need a reason to come back or refer someone else.

Send previous guests personalized emails with special offers, seasonal deals, or new activities you’ve added since they visited.

Not generic mass emails. Actually personalized ones.

“Hey Sarah, you loved the sunset cruise back in July. Did you know we’re now running winter wildlife tours? Completely different vibe, way more dolphins. Here’s 15% off if you book before the end of November.”

That’s the kind of email that gets bookings.

A quick reminder can turn past visitors into repeat customers without spending a cent on ads.

Also, ask for referrals. Seriously. Most people are happy to recommend businesses they enjoyed, but they don’t think about it unless you ask them.

“Know someone who’d love this? Forward this email and you both get a discount.”

Easy. Effective. Underused.

Strategy #4 – Get smart with special offers and pricing

While you shouldn’t slash your prices, that doesn’t mean you can’t use strategic pricing to drive bookings.

There’s a huge difference between desperate discounting and intelligent offers.

Here’s what works:

Launch limited-time offers that create urgency

“Book before the end of October and get 25% off any December booking.”

This gets cash in your pocket now while filling your slower months.

Bundle activities to increase transaction value

Instead of selling one dive for €50, sell a three-dive package for €120. People perceive it as better value, and you’ve almost tripled your revenue from that customer.

Highlight value and exclusivity

Your low season offering shouldn’t feel like a consolation prize. Frame it as exclusive access.

“Only available in winter: private charters with guaranteed wildlife sightings and no crowds.”

Position it as premium, not discounted.

Strategy #5 – Organize events that create buzz

When business is slow, events fill the gap.

And I’m not talking about massive expensive productions. I’m talking about things that get people engaged and talking about your business.

Host competitions. Sunrise sessions. Beach clean-ups. Sunset yoga on the boat. Local photography contests.

Unique events create buzz and attract both locals and off-season tourists looking for something different to do.

Partner with other local businesses to co-host. A surf school + local brewery = sunset surf session with craft beer tasting afterwards. That’s an event people will talk about.

Events also give you tons of content to share on social media, which keeps your brand visible even when bookings are slower.

Document everything. Share it. Build FOMO for next time.

Strategy #6: Sell vouchers year-round

This one’s a game-changer that most operators sleep on.

Gift vouchers.

Think about it: Christmas, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, anniversaries…

People are constantly looking for meaningful gifts, and “experiences” are more popular than ever. Instead of another piece of junk that ends up in a drawer, give someone a boat charter or diving experience.

That’s memorable.

Here’s why vouchers are brilliant for low season specifically:

You get paid now, deliver later

Someone buys a voucher in December for their partner’s birthday. That person doesn’t redeem it until June. You just got paid six months in advance.

They smooth out your cash flow

Selling vouchers during slow months generates revenue even when you’re not running tours. It’s passive income that requires almost zero additional work once your system is set up.

Many vouchers never get redeemed

Sounds harsh, but it’s true. Industry data shows a meaningful percentage of gift vouchers expire unused. That’s 100% profit for you.

They bring in new customers

When someone receives a voucher as a gift, they’re a potential new customer you didn’t have to spend marketing budget to acquire. And if they have a great experience, they’ll likely book again with their own money.

Make it easy to buy vouchers online. Promote them heavily in November and December. Create different tiers (€50, €100, €200) so people can choose based on their budget.

Add a personal touch: send a beautiful digital voucher or physical card that feels like a real gift, not just a transaction.

And here’s a pro tip: offer a small bonus for voucher purchases. “Buy a €100 voucher, get €110 in credit.” That extra value incentivizes purchases while still getting cash in your pocket immediately.

Strategy #7 – Use low season to fix what’s broken

This one doesn’t generate immediate revenue, but it sets you up for long-term success.

Peak season runs your business so hard that things start breaking. Equipment needs maintenance. Staff burn out. Processes fall apart.

Low season is when you fix all of that.

Maintenance and upgrades

Get your boats serviced. Replace worn gear. Fix that thing you’ve been putting off since June. Do it now when you have time, not in April when you’re scrambling to open for the season.

Team training and development

Upskill your crew. Get additional certifications. Cross-train staff so everyone can handle multiple roles. Invest in your people now so they’re ready to crush it when things get busy again.

Systems and automation

Finally set up that automated booking confirmation system. Create email templates. improve your processes. Set up your CRM properly.

These things feel like luxuries during peak season but they’re essential for growth.

Marketing prep for next season

Don’t wait until March to start marketing summer. Build your campaigns now. Create a social media content calendar. Set up your ad campaigns. Plan your promotions.

When everyone else is scrambling in spring, you’ll already be three steps ahead.

Better operations mean lower costs, higher customer satisfaction, and more capacity to capitalize on revenue opportunities throughout the year.

What about Meta Ads and Google Ads during low season?

Quick sidebar since this question comes up constantly: should you run paid ads during low season?

Short answer: Yes, but strategically.

Your cost per click is often LOWER during off-season because fewer businesses are competing for ad space. That means better ROI on your ad spend if you’re targeting the right audiences.

Focus your ads on:

• Locals within driving distance
• Corporate groups looking for team activities
• Past customers who might return
• Off-season travelers (they exist!)

Your ad creative and messaging needs to match the season. Show authentic low season experiences, not stock summer photos.

And track everything. Low season is perfect for testing different ad approaches, audiences, and offers to see what works before you scale up investment during peak season.

Learn how our paid advertising services can boost your bookings.

The biggest mistake marine businesses make in low season

Want to know what actually kills businesses?

It’s not the weather. It’s not lack of tourists.

It’s going completely dark.

Stopping all marketing. Barely posting on social media. Going silent on email.

Basically hibernating until April and hoping people remember you exist.

I get the logic. Marketing costs money. When budgets are tight, it’s an easy thing to cut.

But here’s what actually happens:

Your competitors who do stay visible pick up the customers you could have had. Instagram’s algorithm forgets about you. Your email list goes cold. Past customers forget your name.

And when peak season rolls around, you’re starting from zero trying to rebuild momentum.

Consistency matters more during low season, not less. You don’t need to match your summer intensity but you absolutely need to maintain a presence.

Keep posting. Keep emailing. Keep showing up. Even if it’s twice a week instead of daily. Even if it’s simpler content. Even if engagement feels low.

The people who matter are still watching. And when they’re ready to book (whether that’s now or in six months), you want to be the first business they think of.

Bringing it all together

Look, low season is always going to be challenging for water-based businesses.

You can’t control the weather. You can’t magically make tourists appear out of nowhere.

But you can control how you respond to those challenges.

The businesses that thrive year-round aren’t hoping for miracles. They’re being strategic. They’re targeting the right people with the right offers. They’re building partnerships. They’re staying visible.

Most importantly, they’re not positioning themselves as desperate.

They’re premium. Exclusive. Worth booking even (or especially) when the crowds are gone.

That mindset shift alone will change how you approach low season.

Instead of “How do I survive until summer?” it becomes “How do I build a business that works year-round?”

And that’s when things start to change.

Where to start

If you’re reading this thinking “Okay, this makes sense, but where do I even begin?”

Start with ONE thing.

Pick the strategy that resonates most with your current situation and implement it this week.

Maybe it’s reaching out to three local hotels about partnerships.

Maybe it’s setting up gift vouchers on your website before the holidays hit.

Maybe it’s sending a personalized email to your past customers with a special winter offer.

Just do that one thing. Get one win. Build momentum.

Then come back and tackle the next thing.

Low season success isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about doing the RIGHT things consistently.

And if you want help figuring out which marketing strategies will actually move the needle for your specific marine business?

That’s exactly what we do at Wander Desk.

We work with boat charters, dive centers, surf schools and water-based businesses to create marketing that drives real bookings and revenue.

We combine high-impact content creation (because yes, you need great visuals) with targeted ad campaigns and strategic planning designed specifically for the marine tourism industry.

Get in touch and let’s work together on making low season your competitive advantage, instead of your biggest headache.