Index Highlights Average Hotel Rates and Tips for Planning an Affordable Ski Vacation CHICAGO, Oct. 27
CHICAGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year marked a record-setting ski
season for U.S. resorts with 60.5 million skier visits, according to the
National Ski Areas Association(1). As travelers begin thinking about where to
find the best deals and the most snow for the upcoming season, Orbitz predicts
this year's most popular destinations based on customer bookings, and reveals
where to find great savings.
"While ski vacations are more popular than ever before, the current
economy presents new challenges for travelers on tighter budgets than in past
years," said Heather Leisman, senior director of merchandizing for Orbitz.
"Travelers looking for ski season savings need only a bit of expert advice on
when and where to travel, and Orbitz has the insider knowledge to help them
hit the slopes."
ORBITZ INSIDER SKI INDEX - 2008/2009 SEASON
According to Orbitz bookings for 2008/2009 ski season, Lake Tahoe takes
the top spot, and Colorado makes a strong showing with six of its most popular
destinations making the Top 10 list.
Within these popular ski destinations, Orbitz helps travelers identify
where to find the best savings by offering the average daily hotel rates for
each destination.
2008/2009 ORBITZ INSIDER SKI INDEX
2008Ski Destinations 2008 Average Daily
Ranking* Hotel Rate**
1Lake Tahoe$116
2Breckenridge, CO $225
3Park City, UT $239
4Vail, CO $286
5Aspen, CO $227
6Keystone, CO $149
6Winter Park, CO $193
8Whistler, BC $292
9Banff, Canada $189
10 Steamboat Springs, CO $204
*Based on hotel and vacation package bookings from 11/1/08 to 4/30/09 for
bookings as of 10/14/08
** Based on average daily hotel rates from 11/1/08 to 4/30/09 for bookings as
of 10/14/08
SKI TIPS
When looking to cut vacation costs without sacrificing comfort, there are
many different ways travelers can save when booking their ski vacations on
Orbitz. The Orbitz Insiders have pulled together their top tips for ski
savings:
-- Consider your lodging location. While slopeside "ski in/ski out"
locations allow you to walk out your door and hop on the lift, opting for
lodging a little further from the mountain can save you cash. And most ski
resorts offer free shuttle services with stops throughout town, so getting to
the lift is not a hassle.
-- Look for Alternative Lodging. For families and groups, alternative
lodging like vacation rentals -- homes, condos, cabins -- can be much less
expensive than booking multiple hotel rooms. Check out
vacationrentals.orbitz.com for over 30,000 properties around the world.
-- Ski on off-peak dates. Busy holiday weekends, including Christmas and
MLK weekend, and President's weekend, can be more expensive and very busy. If
you want to save money and avoid long lift lines, think "off peak". And
consider weekday vs. weekend trips and you'll save even more!
-- Less expensive Lift Tickets. If you know you'll be skiing at least a
few days during your vacation, purchase lift tickets in advance on sites like
Orbitz.com. And if considering lessons, remember that at many resorts,
beginner lessons typically include a beginner lift ticket in the price.
For updates on the latest ski season promotions and deals, visit:
www.orbitz.com/App/PerformMDLPDealsContent?deal_id=ski&cnt=PRO&type=fl1_qs
About Orbitz:
Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com) is a leading online travel company that
enables travelers to search for and purchase a broad array of travel products,
including airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation
packages. Since launching its website http://www.orbitz.com to the general
public in June 2001, Orbitz has become one of the largest online travel sites
in the world based on gross travel bookings. On Orbitz, consumers can search
more than 80,000 suppliers worldwide including airlines, hotels and car rental
companies. Orbitz is a brand that is owned and operated by Orbitz Worldwide
(NYSE: OWW).
(1) Kottke National End of Season Survey 2007/08
SOURCE Orbitz
