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Whistler celebrates another number one ski resort ranking as Condé Nast Traveler magazine awards Whistler the top spot in its annual "The Best Places to Ski & Stay in North America" reader survey. Condé Nast Traveler readers were asked to evaluate 109 North American ski resorts that they had visited in the past three years, and rate each resort. Whistler averaged the top score on the combined criteria of Terrain and Conditions, Lifts and Lines, Town Ambience, Dining, and Apres-Ski/Activities. The one year-old Symphony Express quad chair was provided noteworthy mention in Condé Nast Traveler results for its access to more than 1,000 acres of pristine high alpine ski terrain.
Meanwhile in Britain, the 9th Annual Telegraph Travel Awards were announced, ranking Whistler No. 3 in its "Favourite Ski Resort" category, the only North American resort to be named in the 2007 awards. Whistler followed close on the heels of France’s Val D’Isere and Méribel resorts, which were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. The Telegraph Travel Awards are the result of a survey completed by readers of Britain’s Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers.
Furthermore Whistler has won "Best Overseas Ski Resort" at the Luxury Travel Magazine awards again, for the fourth consecutive year.
"These amazing kudos are an incredible boost to an already hotly anticipated ski season in Whistler," says Arlene Schieven, Vice President of Marketing for Tourism Whistler. "The combination of consistently fantastic snow conditions, unbelievable range of ski terrain and on- and off-mountain activities, fine hotels, dining and shopping and a number of ongoing promotions offering significant savings for visitors makes Whistler hard to ignore amongst the top-ranked ski resorts of the world."
Other recent awards of note include the November 2007 issue of Condé Nast Traveler, where Whistler hotels secured six of the top 15 Canadian resort hotel awards.
According to the U.S.-published SKIING Magazine’s "Top 25 Resorts in North America" list, Whistler remains the reigning ski resort in North America for the 11th year in a row, upholding its No. 1 ranking on the list, while TransWorld SNOWboarding Magazine ranked Whistler Blackcomb the No. 1 overall ski resort in North America for a second year in a row, and SKI Magazine’s annual "Top 50 Resort Guide" bumped Whistler Blackcomb up one spot to No. 3.
"The No. 1 rankings that Whistler Blackcomb receives from such diverse publications illustrates the variety and breadth of experiences available on and off the mountain," says Dave Brownlie, Chief Operating Officer and President of Whistler Blackcomb. "We clearly have something for everyone on a world-class scale."
More than average snowfall in November has already set Whistler Blackcomb up for a great season. Currently open with the most terrain in North America, over 7,000 acres of terrain and a mile of vertical are available for skiers and riders. The mountains receive an average 10.22 metres (33.5 feet) of snow annually and, with this season forecasted to be a La Nina year, skiers and riders are anticipating another epic season. La Nina is a weather phenomenon that brings lower temperatures and more precipitation which means one thing for Whistler; more snow.
Last season was Whistler’s second snowiest on record with over 14 metres (46.5 feet) of the treasured white stuff gracing the legendary slopes. That followed the previous year’s record-breaking snowfall in January 2006 of 469 centimetres (185 inches) of snow in one month.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
