Orbitz Insider Index Highlights Top 10 Early Ski Destinations

CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With the official start of winter now on the horizon, Orbitz is giving skiers and snowboarders an early downhill rush this year.  Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) today unveiled its top 10 early ski destinations, offering pre-season snow-seekers the insight they need to book the best destinations before peak season begins.  

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"We're seeing a lot of great deals from our hotel and resort partners in and around the top ski destinations in the country," said Jeanenne Tornatore, Senior Travel Editor of Orbitz.com.  "Where there's early snow, there's early ski, and that initial wave of enthusiasts will find powder as well as steep savings with the Orbitz Ski Sale.  Even if you never strap on a boot or a board, there's still a world of adventure and shopping to be had at these destinations."  

Orbitz Insider Index – Top 10 Early Ski Destinations for 2010

In addition to ski and snowboard enthusiasts, the Top 10 Early Ski Destinations deliver something unique for everyone –  from world-class ski resorts to luxurious spas, upscale shopping, eclectic boutiques, a vibrant nightlife and other athletic pursuits such as mountain biking and trail blazing.  

The once and current king of the early ski season is Lake Tahoe, which also topped last year's in-season list of top ski destinations.  Colorado again makes the most appearances of any state with five destinations, led by Breckenridge at number three overall.  We bent the rules a bit for our only non-U.S. entrant – Whistler, in British Columbia, Canada – due to its size, scope and popularity as a top destination for the U.S. Pacific Northwest.  Noticeably absent are destinations in the U.S. Northeast, where first snows typically happen much later in the season.  

*The Orbitz Index is based on hotel and package (air + hotel) bookings on Orbitz.com made by 10/25/10 for travel between 11/1/10 - 12/23/10.  

Orbitz Insider Top Picks

To help give you a lift during the early and peak ski seasons, Orbitz and its hotel and attractions partners are teaming up to give you the most savings on the coolest destinations.  

With the latest Orbitz Ski Sale (http://ski.orbitz.com), travelers that book a ski vacation by 12/5/10 can save up to 40 percent and get free night stays at the best ski resorts across the country.  You can also take advantage of amazing deals before you hit the slopes, including 20% off on lift tickets and 25% off ski rentals when you purchase the Salt Lake Super Pass, good at any of Salt Lake's four world-class resorts – Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude.  

The Orbitz Ski Sale is now available at 10 amazing destinations on Orbitz.com, including:

Lake Tahoe, CA/NV

Lake Tahoe is one of the top annual ski destinations for good reason – it's beautiful, the air is crisp and clear, and the sun shines most of the time.  During winter, with an average snowfall topping 400 inches, Lake Tahoe is one of the nation's premier ski destinations, offering 15 downhill resorts and 10 cross-country ski centers.  

Biggest savings:  Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort – Save 35% on your stay**.

Breckenridge, CO

Breckenridge is a quaint Victorian town in the heart of the Colorado Rockies with a truly old-fashioned holiday celebration that gets everyone in the spirit. Historic buildings are decorated with twinkling lights, the town tree is trimmed and carolers will soon be singing on the street corners. Breckenridge embodies the holiday season with a story book atmosphere, festive events, winter activities and lodging packages that provide a memorable vacation option.

Biggest savings:  The Village Hotel – save 45% on your stay**.  

Steamboat, CO

Located in the Park Range—where Pacific-born storms usually hit first in Colorado—Steamboat soaks up heavy snow dumps that often skip peaks to the south and east. And many of the aspens are perfectly spaced, as if a gift from God. From the mountain, take a free shuttle the three miles to tiny, colorful Steamboat Springs, where you'll find a surprising slew of kick-back bars and upscale eats.

Biggest savings:  EagleRidge Lodge & Townhomes by Steamboat Resorts – save 55% on your stay**.

Park City, UT

At 7,000 feet, Park City, Utah takes you beyond your highest expectations—whether your idea of heaven is skiing or boarding at one of Park City's three world-class resorts (The Canyons Resort, Park City Mountain Resort or Deer Valley Resort), an indulgent spa retreat, or a sneak peek at the next big thing in cinema.

Biggest savings:  Grand Summit Hotel at The Canyons – save 30% on your stay**.

For more details about the Orbitz Ski Sale, including the latest deals on lift tickets at each destination, visit: http://ski.orbitz.com.

**To qualify, all travel must be booked by 12/5/10.

About Orbitz.com

Orbitz.com (www.orbitz.com) is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and book a broad array of travel products, including airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Since launching its website to the general public in June 2001, Orbitz.com has become one of the largest online travel sites in the world and has led the industry with innovations including Flight Price Assurance, Hotel Price Assurance and Total Price hotel search results. On Orbitz.com consumers can search more than 80,000 suppliers worldwide including airlines, hotels and car rental companies. Orbitz.com is owned by Orbitz Worldwide.

Stay connected with sale alerts, exclusive promotions and engaging conversations: Follow Orbitz on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orbitz), Twitter (www.twitter.com/orbitz) and the Orbitz Travel Blog (www.orbitz.com/blog).

About Orbitz Worldwide

Orbitz Worldwide is a leading global online travel company that uses innovative technology to enable leisure and business travelers to research, plan and book a broad range of travel products. Orbitz Worldwide owns a portfolio of consumer brands that includes Orbitz (www.orbitz.com), CheapTickets (www.cheaptickets.com), ebookers (www.ebookers.com), HotelClub (www.hotelclub.com), RatesToGo (www.ratestogo.com) and the Away Network (www.away.com).  Also within the Orbitz Worldwide family, Orbitz Worldwide Distribution (http://corp.orbitz.com/partnerships/distribution) delivers private label travel solutions to a broad range of partners including many of the world's largest airlines, and Orbitz for Business (www.orbitzforbusiness.com) delivers managed corporate travel solutions for corporations. For more information on partnership opportunities with Orbitz Worldwide, visit corp.orbitz.com.  Orbitz Worldwide uses its Investor Relations website to make information available to its investors and the public at http://www.orbitz-ir.com. You can sign up to receive email alerts whenever the company posts new information to the website.

SOURCE Orbitz.com