Press Release: ResortQuest International
October 5, 2001
ASPEN, CO -- Guess who will likely lead the charge up the mountain to go skiing this winter? Your kids.
``The 2001 Portrait of Family Travel'' study by Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown shows that a growing number of
children want to take a ski vacation. The survey of the travel attitude of parents and children nationwide shows
that 63 percent of kids say they want to hit the slopes.
The vacation desires of youngsters were not just idle wishes. Peter Yesawich, CEO of Yesawich, Pepperdine &
Brown said the kids have a tremendous impact in vacation choices for the family.
``Children are helping drive the vacation choices for the entire family,'' Yesawich said. ``Parents want to please
the kids to make up for the loss of time with them from job pressures.
Kids are not the only people hoping to head for the hills. Among parents, overall interest in skiing has climbed
to 26 percent in 2001 compared with 16 percent in 1999, according to the 2001 YP&B Portrait of Family Travel.
Ski resorts and vacation rentals at top resorts have seen the family trend on the slopes -- especially with the
growing popularity of snowboarding and extreme winter sports.
Responding to the demand, ski resorts across the west, including destinations such as Aspen, Sun Valley and Whistler,
B.C. have improved ski lessons in the past years. Some resorts, such as Steamboat Springs, Colorado, even have
kids-only lifts and beginner training areas.
Companies such as ResortQuest International, the world's largest vacation rental company, are seeing an increase
in families making time for winter vacations.
``A winter ski vacation is becoming as much of a tradition as the summer vacation,'' said ResortQuest Chairman
and CEO David Levine. ``The mountains are a great place to go and reconnect as a family -- whether its for a weeklong
getaway or a long weekend.''
ResortQuest makes winter vacations affordable. Book at any of their 14 ski resorts this winter and receive a 15%
discount off accommodations. Book before November 15, 2001 and you receive an additional 5%. Early ski season rates
for one-bedroom condominiums start as low as $99.
ResortQuest has added destinations such as Steamboat Springs to its winter inventory to meet the demands of the
Winter Traveler. The YP&B study found that 56 percent of the people surveyed wanted to stay in a vacation home
or condo in the next two years.
``We find that many families like to experience new destinations from year to year,'' said Levine. ResortQuest
has 14 mountain locations.
ResortQuest offers more than 4,000 accommodations at Western ski destinations from the Cascades to the Rockies.
It is also the only company in the travel industry that offers a Snow Guarantee, which assures guests that if for
any reason they are dissatisfied with the snow quality at their destination, they may transfer to another ResortQuest
property at another destination.
ResortQuest's one-of-a-kind Snow Guarantee has been extended this year to cover the whole season. Skiers can change
travel plans before a trip to make sure they enjoy snow during their vacations.
``Family time is precious,'' Levine said. ``No one wants to go on a winter vacation and not find the best snow
conditions.''
YP&B Portrait of Family Travel
The Family Travel Forum is a symposium on family travel habits, preferences and intentions. During this forum,
the results of the ``Portrait of Family Travel'', a nationally representative survey of parents and children who
live in ``family travel'' households were detailed and analyzed. The 2001 report was produced by Yesawich, Pepperdine
& Brown (YP&B), a marketing communications company based in Orlando, FL. YP&B is the largest firm in
the U.S. that specializes in serving the needs of travel and leisure industry clients.
About ResortQuest International
Memphis-based ResortQuest International (NYSE: RZT) provides a one-stop resource, www.resortquest.com, for vacation
home and condominium rentals in 50 premier resort destinations in U.S. and Canada. ResortQuest's portfolio comprises
more than 20,000 vacation rental properties. All of the ResortQuest accommodations include spacious, well-appointed
condos or homes with a full kitchen. To make reservations or view all special offers, visit : www.ResortQuest.com
or call 877-588-5800.
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For additional information, contact Will Wellons or Abbie Wagner, Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, (407) 875-1111.
SOURCE: ResortQuest International