Media Releases

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Whistler is Number One – SKI Magazine readers name Whistler Blackcomb best in North America

Tourism Whistler media release
For immediate release - October 16, 2012

Whistler is Number One – SKI Magazine readers name Whistler Blackcomb best in North America

Suggested tweet: #Whistler named Number One in North America by SKI Magazine readers. Visit this winter to see what the fuss is about. http://bit.ly/9EJiJ

Whistler, B.C. – The results are in and readers of SKI Magazine have ranked Whistler Blackcomb the number one overall ski resort in North America.

 

Image

 

 

The annual survey of more than 20,000 skiers and snowboarders reviews almost every resort aspect of the mountains, including access, terrain parks, lodging and dining. The complete list of rankings is listed in SKI Magazine’s October issue.

Whistler Blackcomb– the only Canadian resort to make the list – skyrocketed to the top of the list, beating out competitors such as last year’s winner Deer Valley, Utah (second place) and Vail, Colorado (third place) and moving up from last year’s third-place spot.

“We are thrilled with these results,” said Barrett Fisher, Tourism Whistler’s President & CEO. “Congratulations to Whistler Blackcomb mountains and all of the businesses in the resort of Whistler. This top ranking reflects the diversity and quality of our product as well as the level of customer service that we all strive for in our efforts to exceed our guests’ expectations.”

The poll, which rates the top 60 resorts in North America, is in its 26th year and is the most extensive in the industry.

“It’s easy to play the numbers game with Whistler,” reports Susan Reifer Ryan in SKI Magazine’s October issue. “It’s the biggest resort in North America and has the stats to back it up. But that’s not what makes this place special – and so deserving of its new No. 1 rank. Surprisingly, for a place so immense, this Canadian resort’s real brilliance lies in its ability to get personal, to offer every skier a day that feels intimate, customized and perfect for him or her alone. This place has personality and a level of diversity that lets it offer such vivid ski experiences.”

Whistler Blackcomb, in addition to being named the number one resort in North America, also earned top spot in the overall terrain variety category and second in overall service, lodging, après, off hill activities and digital presence. Other top-five awards came in the categories of: challenge of terrain, lifts, on-mountain food, dining, scenery, terrain parks and overall guest satisfaction.

In other award news, Conde Nast Traveler announced today the results of the 2012 Reader's Choice Awards. Four Seaons Resort Whistler was named in the Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World.  In addition to this award, the hotel was named along with three other Whistler hotels in the Top 20 Resorts in Canada category. Standings are:

  • Four Seasons Resort Whistler (#2)
  • Fairmont Chateau Whistler (#7)
  • Pan Pacific Village Centre (#9)
  • Westin Resort & Spa (#14)

Late September, the Georgia Straight newspaper released their 17th annual 2012 Readers Choice Best of Vancouver awards in with Whistler businesses taking home the hardware in 18 categories:

  • Best weekend getaway
  • Best winter destination
  • Best romantic hideaway (second place)
  • Best summer destination (third place)
  • Best out of town spa getaway: Scandinave Spa (second place)
  • Best resort/ hotel – Whistler:
    Fairmont Chateau Whistler (first place)
    Four Seasons Resort Whistler (second place)
    Westin Whistler Resort and Spa (third place)
  • Best B.C. golf resort: Whistler Golf Club (third place)
  • Best B.C. adventure tour company: Ziptrek Ecotours (third place)
  • Best place to buy a vacation home: Whistler
  • Best B.C. wine festival: Cornucopia (tied for third place with the Naramata Wine Fest)

With more than 8,100 acres, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, world-class terrain parks and half pipes and 200+ marked trails – not to mention a 10-year average annual snowfall of 39 feet – Whistler Blackcomb is the big mountain experience with something for everyone. In addition to world class skiing and boarding, Whistler offers a myriad of exceptional winter activity options including cross country skiing, snowshoeing, cat skiing, heli-skiing, ziplining and snowmobiling among others.

Opening day for Whistler Blackcomb is scheduled for November 22, 2012.

Visitors can discover first-hand what Georgia Straight and SKI Magazine readers are raving about with the Book Early and Save promotion. Book by November 15, 2012 to get in on the lowest prices of the season, with savings of up to 39 per cent on stay and ski packages. Book now and kids stay, ski, rent and shuttle transfer for free.

Visit www.whistler.com online or by phone where Whistler-based travel consultants can customize a vacation package, taking care of flights, ground transportation, accommodation and activities. Whistler.com has the largest and best accommodation selection and a best price guarantee. Call 1.800.WHISTLER (1.800.944.7853) to request a no-obligation quote or visit whistler.com for more details and offers.

 

-30-

 

Whistler is Canada’s premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.

Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.WHISTLER and whistler.com – Whistler’s official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.

Media can visit whistler.com/media for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality profiles and access to images and B-roll.

Broadcasters: Whistler now has the capability to take you live with our enhanced fibre network.  The significantly expanded network of more than 200 kilometres of fibre optic cabling throughout the resort allows instant transmission of HD signals to any location at any time.  Details on how to access, and book the fibre are available on our media site. http://media.whistler.com/contact-us/filming-in-whistler/

Media Contact
Tourism Whistler
Mary Zinck
Specialist, Travel Media
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com
W: www.whistler.com/media
T: www.Twitter.com/mediaTWhistler
F: www.Facebook.com/GoWhistler