Merit Travel Group News Merit Travel Group Predicts Hot New Ski Trends for 2003/04 Season October 20, 2003, TORONTO - Changing demographics are shaping the way Canadians travel and this year's ski season will be unlike anything the industry has seen before says Merit Travel Group, Canada's largest multi-specialty travel company. Merit Travel Group has been examining and responding to travel trends for more than a decade and says the slopes are going to look very different this year. "The way Canadians travel is changing dramatically and when it comes to skiing, it's now about the entire holiday experience, not just the number of double black diamond runs at a particular hill," says Richard Savage, Director of Ski Programs, Merit Travel Group. "Canadians today want to go on a ski trip that is enhanced by a variety of experiences relevant to their stage in life. Some people are looking for fantastic après ski like what we offer on trips to Austria or Switzerland, some are looking for great day care facilities, others want to spend as much time on the hill as they do on the massage table and of course there is a core group that cares only about extreme skiing and deep powder." Merit Ski Vacations, a division of Merit Travel Group, books ski trips to 50 destinations world-wide at over 500 ski resorts representing more than 5,000 runs between them, and has identified five new ski travel trends that will shape the 2003/04 season: 1. Same Sex Ski Now more than ever before, groups of women and groups of men are booking separate ski vacations and enjoying some bonding time away from spouses and kids. "Separate ski trips are really becoming popular as de-stressors and mini- getaways and Merit expects this trend to continue and even grow when it comes to women," says Savage. Merit also forecasts a tendency for Canadians to book more trips this season than last, but for shorter periods of time. 2. Family Ski Merit predicts families will be hitting the bunny hills in record numbers this year since working parents are spending more money on family getaways so they can be with their children. "This year families will be looking for highly customized ski trips that include direct flights, short transfers, varied mountain terrain so mom and dad can enjoy the slopes too, relaxed accommodation and kid-pleasing activities such as skating, dog sledding or hay rides," says Savage. 3. Ski Safaris Many skiers today are not satisfied visiting just one mountain on a vacation and want to embark on a 'ski safari' to tour as many destinations as possible. "Merit has seen a huge increase in ski safaris where we customize a trip to a variety of resorts," says Savage. "Some skiers want to experience as much terrain as possible and love variety so we'll create a trip that starts in Lake Louise and then goes to Kicking Horse, Panorama and then back to Sunshine for example." 4. Increase in Travel to US Ski Resorts As a result of a strengthening Canadian dollar and exciting ski terrain south of the border, this year Merit Ski Vacations expects to see an increase in ski trips booked to the United States. "Our customers have been telling us they want to ski in the US, so we've strengthened our US package offerings this year," says Savage. To respond to this growing trend, Merit recently launched an "At Par" ski program where Merit customers benefit from an equal currency exchange rate at 13 participating U.S. resorts including Aspen, Vail, Jackson Hole and Keystone. 5. Skiing and Spa and Entertainment and Fine Dining and Shopping and Site Seeing and More According to Merit Ski Vacations, skiing today goes way beyond spending eight hours a day on boards - it's about an entire mountain experience that is customized to suit individual tastes. "While everyone who books a ski trip obviously likes to ski, people today are also looking for additional activities to round out the holiday experience," says Savage. "Merit books a lot of spa treatments for men and women, coordinates a variety of site seeing excursions such as helicopter tours or dog sledding rides and spends a lot of time recommending the hottest restaurants and night clubs in town. This is only going to continue." Overall, the ski industry is bracing for a busy season as preliminary weather forecasts call for above normal snowfall in the West. With offices across Canada, Merit Travel Group Inc. specializes in customized travel experiences for its customers. Headquartered in Toronto, the company employs 150 travel specialists. Visit www.merit.ca for more information. Return to Supplier Members List P.O. Box 191981 Sacramento California, U.S.A. 95819 Email to: SkiTops.com The Network | General Members | Supplier Members Submit Forms | Sales Tools | Members Home About SkiTops | Specials | Find a Package | Press Releases | Site Home