BOOTH CREEK SKI HOLDINGS, INC. OFFERS HIGH-TECH LIFT TICKETS
THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
February 27, 2006, Truckee, Calif.—Making the guest experience convenient and hassle free is something Northstar-at-Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe strive to do in day-to-day operations and long term planning. Recently, both resorts began offering guests the opportunity to save both time and money with the purchase of new direct-to-lift ticket cards sold at select Northern California and Northern Nevada Safeway stores and gas stations. Through a collaborative effort between Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc. (Northstar and Sierra’s parent company), Safeway’s Blackhawk Marketing and Resort Technology Partners (RTP) these direct-to-lift ticket cards are made possible.
Though purchasing a direct-to-lift ticket card seems simple enough there is a lot of technology involved on the back end making this product possible. Tracking systems put into place by RTP allow the resorts to offer such a product through Safeway stores. This is because once the ticket cards are purchased at a Safeway location, real-time activation messages are sent to Booth Creek’s resort Point of Sale (POS) system in Truckee, Calif. At that moment a customer with an activated direct-to-lift ticket card is ready to go and simply needs to walk directly into the lift lines. The card will scan like a lift ticket so customers do not have to wait in a lift ticket line to receive their ticket.
With real-time reporting to support operations in researching card activity the resort can track when, where and whether a card has been purchased. This system also allows the resort to track any data that may be held in a queue if network issues occur. Direct-to-lift ticket cards that are not paid for will not scan as valid at the resort’s lifts.
“The immediate success of this pilot program is a testament of the communities’ strong interest in convenient ticketing alternatives,” said Mike Roth, Director of Customer Technology. “In the future, Booth Creek looks forward to leveraging this development to offer an even greater service to our valued customers.”
Sierra-at-Tahoe’s Safeway direct-to-lift ticket card is offered for a single day and is valid for any day of the season. Cost is $49 at select Safeway stores, a $10 savings off the daily lift ticket price. Northstar guests have the opportunity to purchase a two out of three day direct-to-lift ticket card available for any day of the 2005-2006 winter season. Available for $104, this card offers guests a savings of $22.
For a list of participating Safeway stores, visit www.NorthstarAtTahoe.com or call 1-800-GO-NORTH. Lift cards are not available in Lake Tahoe or Truckee Safeway locations.
