Contact: Troy Hawks
NSAA Communications
(720) 963-4215
thawks@nsaa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSAA Names 2011 Conversion Cup Finalists
Newest Industry Award Recognizes Efforts to Create Lifelong Skiers and Riders.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. - April 15, 2011 — Today NSAA named three ski areas, including Park City, Utah, Boreal, Calif., and Snow Time Inc., owners of three ski areas in Pennsylvania including Liberty Mountain, Ski Roundtop and Whitetail Resort, as the finalists of its first annual Conversion Cup Challenge.

In all, 17 resorts submitted applications in the first year of the Cup. NSAA member ski areas were able to enter in one of three size categories: Up to 200,000 visits; 200,000 to 500,000 visits; and 500,000 or more visits. One finalist was chosen among each size category and the Cup winner will be crowned in front of a live audience May 6 at NSAA’s National Convention and Tradeshow in Carlsbad, Calif. Applications are judged on a number of key conversion indicators including:

• Increases in Level 1 lesson volumes;
• Level 1 lesson volumes in relation to total skier and snowboarder visits;
• Quantifiable success of multi-lesson packages;
• Season-to-date sales and repeat sales data on specific “learn-to” packages designed to drive repeat visitation;
• Overall data collection capabilities and sophistication;
• Marketing ingenuity, creativity, use of new media, etc.

“We’re very pleased with overall response to our inaugural Conversion Cup Challenge, and based on the depth and quality of information provided in many of the applications, it’s evident that resorts are putting forth tremendous efforts to boost repeat visitation rates, and collectively, endeavors such as these will benefit the overall health of the industry,” says NSAA President Michael Berry.

An in-depth review of this year’s Conversion Cup winner will be highlighted in the August/September 2011 issue of the NSAA Journal. The Conversion Cup is a traveling award. The winning resort will claim the Cup for one year, until the next Conversion Cup winner is again crowned at the NSAA National Convention. All winners receive a Conversion Cup plaque to display at their ski area.

 THE NATIONAL SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION, LOCATED IN LAKEWOOD, COLO., IS A TRADE ASSOCIATION FORMED IN 1962 FOR SKI AREA OWNERS AND OPERATORS NATIONWIDE.

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