120 Ski Resorts in North America Offer Discount Lift Tickets Through Liftopia.com Killington, Keystone, Winter Park Join Largest Online Community to Help People Ski More, Pay Less

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 03, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Liftopia.com, the leading online resource for purchasing discount lift tickets, today announced a multitude of new resort partnerships, bringing its total number of partners for the 2009-2010 season to over 120 ski resorts across North America. Liftopia.com resort partners, including new additions Winter Park, Killington, and Keystone, will offer exclusive deals on discount lift tickets, lessons, and rental packages, helping skiers and riders save up to 75 percent off the on-mountain rate.

Liftopia.com partners directly with ski areas to offer the best available deal for any given day. Because customers buy resort and date-specific tickets in advance, Liftopia.com is able to offer substantial discounts versus other outlets. Similar to online hotel offers, the resorts determine how much to discount lift ticket prices and provide Liftopia.com with varying lift ticket inventory for each ski day. Liftopia.com tickets are available all season long at varied rates, with prices and quantities fluctuating -- usually to the benefit of skiers and riders -- based on factors such as weather and snow conditions, day of the week, or even the price of gas.

"During the month of October, Liftopia.com saw an increase of more than 160 percent in searches for discount lift tickets when compared to the same period last year. While the economy kept many people home last year, this season skiers and riders appear to be making it a priority to get back on the slopes," said Ron Schneidermann, co-founder of Liftopia.com. "Liftopia.com is excited to expand our number of partner resorts -- enabling more people to take advantage of skiing deals." In addition to the new resorts, Liftopia.com has detailed customer reviews that allow skiers and riders to take into account feedback from others when determining the best slopes for their individual style. User submitted feedback is graded on skill level to help qualify each skier and rider's experience. A new "attributes" feature also lets consumers know what they can expect to find at the various resorts, from terrain parks and night skiing to wi-fi and child care.

"We are excited to offer deals at some of the biggest name resorts, and also at some great resorts you have yet to discover. Using Liftopia.com, families can find amazing slopes at places that just don't have the same marketing budgets as the more well-known resorts. Finding the best values at all types of resorts allow skiers and riders to avoid crowds and get out on the hill more often," said Evan Reece, co-founder of Liftopia.com.

Liftopia.com also provides details on the trail and snow conditions, number of lifts and runs open and expected weather for the week. Skiers and riders can also stay up to date on late-breaking or special deals through Twitter. To get updates specific to ski markets including Colorado, Lake Tahoe and Utah, follow Liftopia.com at its market-specific Twitter handles -- a full list can be found here.

Discount lift tickets will continue to become available as resorts open for the season. Customers must purchase in advance and for specific dates to get the special deals on Liftopia.com. Tickets can generally be purchased up until the night before arrival, but early planning is encouraged as tickets do sell out, and resorts do raise prices. Please visit www.liftopia.com for more information.

About Liftopia.com Liftopia.com launched in October of 2006 with a website that helps skiers and riders find and buy lift tickets online, for less. Liftopia.com helps resorts utilize yield management and distribution strategies from the online travel industry to generate incremental revenue. Liftopia.com is located in San Francisco, CA and was founded by former Hotwire employees, Ron Schneidermann and Evan Reece.

SOURCE: Liftopia.com CONTACT: Schwartz Communications for Liftopia.com Kim Angell or Andrea Hawley, 415-512-0770 [e-mail] Copyright Business Wire 2009 -0- KEYWORD: United States

North America

California INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Discount/Variety

Online Retail

Skiing/Snowboarding

Retail

Sports SUBJECT CODE: Contract/Agreement

Product/Service