Media Releases

Thursday, December 13, 2012

There’s no place like Whistler for the holidays

Tourism Whistler media release
For immediate release - December 13, 2012 

There’s no place like Whistler for the holidays


Suggested tweet: #Whistler embraces the holiday season with plenty of activities. Check out http://bit.ly/CfjeG for activities, packages and contests.

Whistler, B.C. – From watching skiers and boarders jump through rings of fire, to bouncy castles and visits with Santa and outdoor skating under the stars, Whistler is the place to be for the holidays.

 

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Oh, and did we mention the snow?

Beginning December 21, the Whistler Conference Centre will be transformed into an indoor winter wonderland with the Whistler Holiday Experience, offering an unparalleled family fun zone with mini putt, table games, bouncy castles, crafts and video games. The Whistler Holiday Experience runs each day from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. until January 6 (excluding December 25 and 31). Rumour has it that Santa will take time out of his busy schedule to stop by for photos December 22 from 12:30 – 4 p.m. and December 23 from noon until 4 p.m.

There’s nothing quite like the Fire and Ice show to light up the village. World-class athletes flip and twist their way through a ring of fire and finish with a first-class fireworks display. The Fire and Ice show is performed by members of Whistler Blackcomb’s ski and snowboard school and takes place at the base of Whistler Mountain in Skier’s Plaza every Sunday at 6:30 p.m. starting December 16.

After a day on the slopes, trade in your boots for ice skates and enjoy the Whistler Olympic Plaza skating rink. Located in the heart of the village next to the Olympic rings, this outdoor arena offers free skating (skate rentals are available) in the hub of Whistler, surrounded by the resort’s undeniable vibe. The Olympic Plaza skating rink grand opening will take place on December 20 at 2 p.m. Skating on this day is from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Regular operating hours throughout the winter, beginning December 21, are Sunday to Thursday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. and 11 a.m. 0- 4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Holiday hours are noon – 4 p.m. on Christmas day; 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Ring in the New Year Whistler-style, with the Whistler Presents: New Year’s Eve Celebrations on December 31. The alcohol-free family entertainment and celebration takes place in the village. Ticket-holders have access to a range of venues with entertainment for all ages including music, arts, crafts, food, dancing and ice skating at Whistler Olympic Plaza. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. with events at the Whistler Conference Centre and Millennium Place, culminating in a kids’ countdown at 9 p.m. and an all-ages Village Square dance celebration beginning at 10:30 p.m. For complete details and ticket information, as well as the most extensive Whistler events listing, visit here: http://www.whistler.com/christmas/

If snow is what will make your heart sing this holiday season, Whistler delivers on that front as well. The resort has recorded 27 centimetres of snow in the last seven days with cumulative snowfall sitting at 382 centimetres and an alpine base of 158 centimetres. The forecast is calling for another 24-38 centimetres of snow in the alpine between today and Monday.

For inspiration, watch the #WhistlerUnfiltered Dropping In video and be sure to document your Whistler experience by tagging Instagram photos with #WhistlerUnfiltered – your images could be included on the #WhistlerUnfiltered website or the upcoming Snow Play and Boots Off videos.

Don’t forget to enter the ultimate signature winter contest for the opportunity to win a unique Whistler experience. Prize packages on the themes of Dropping In, Snow Play and Boots Off are all up for grabs, as is the ultimate Grand Prize Trip to Whistler, valued at $19,600 CAD and featuring accommodation, airfare, ground transfers, equipment and activities for seven.

Whistler-based travel consultants at whistler.com can customize vacation packages, taking care of flights, ground transportation, accommodation and activities. Whistler.com offers the largest selection with no booking fee for accommodation and activities. Call 1.800.WHISTLER (1.800.944.7853) to request a no-obligation quote or visit whistler.com for more details and offers.

 

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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, Media Relations
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com
W: www.whistler.com/media
T: www.Twitter.com/mediaTWhistler
F: www.Facebook.com/GoWhistler