I have heard this term before and I know that rates are less during this time. What exactly does it mean and why are the rates less?

Like the shoulders of a road, it's the weeks/months immediately before and after the main tourist season, when less people are traveling, but the weather is good.

I've seen the "shoulder season" defined as May, early June, September, and early October. Generally speaking, weather is good and the crowds are thinner than in the summer. Tourist spots that either have reduced hours or are closed in the winter are open again. The rates aren't as low as in the winter, but are cheaper than during the summer. Less demand = lower prices.

oh, it's just a term meaning on either side of the peak rate season (because shoulders are on your side, I suppose). It is Spring and Fall.

Some airfare rates are less because of less demand.

I'm learning it depends on where you're going. In Paris, for example, I've read July and August are shoulder season.

Hi Lolo,

If you make a plot of the number of visitors versus month you will find that the curve is a Gaussian distribution with higher than expected visitors on each side of the peak.

These are the "shoulders".