Seasonality
Visitors are spread more evenly across the year
Peak-season congestion harms both the visitor experience and local communities. This sub-indicator looks at whether operators take active steps to promote off-season travel, reduce peak-period concentration, and work with destinations to distribute visitors more sustainably throughout the year.
Whether the operator actively manages the seasonal distribution of visitors to reduce pressure on destinations during peak periods.
How RTA measures this
The same sub-indicator is assessed from two sides: operators self-assess their performance; travellers rate their experience. Both use a 1–5 scale.
“How effectively did you manage seasonal visitor distribution on this tour to reduce pressure on local communities and environments?”
- 1The tour is available only on certain days or through certain periods of the year only (4 months / year or less).
- 2The tour is available all year depending on weather conditions / number of participants.
- 3The tour is available 6–8 months of the year with specific dates, and special itineraries are planned outside of this. Alternatives are planned in case of bad weather.
- 4The tour is available all year long with a minimum number of participants, and alternatives are planned in case of bad weather.
- 5The tour operates all year long, there is no minimum number of participants, and alternatives are planned in case of bad weather.
“How well did this operator appear to manage seasonal pressure on the destination?”
- 1The destination was clearly over-crowded and the operator had made no effort to address this.
- 2Seasonal pressure was visible and the operator showed little awareness of the issue.
- 3Some attempt to manage seasonality was apparent, though peak-period pressures were still evident.
- 4The operator appeared to manage seasonal visitor distribution thoughtfully — the experience was not diminished by overcrowding.
- 5The operator's approach to seasonality was excellent — the experience was optimised and local impacts were clearly minimised.
Other sub-indicators in Satisfaction of Residents & Visitors
Rate this indicator yourself
Complete a questionnaire and see how an operator scores across all 16 sub-indicators.