SAM Magazine-San Francisco, Nov. 12, 2008 -Call it a sign of the times: online lift ticket discount retailer Liftopia has doubled the number of resorts that use the service, to more than 80, for the 2008-09 season. The roster includes Park City, Crested Butte, Taos, Snowbird, and Arapahoe Basin. "We hope that we can help get more people on the hill this year," said company co-founder Evan Reece.

Liftopia allows resorts to utilize yield management and online-travel style distribution to generate incremental sales in a manner similar to that used by discount brokers of hotel rooms and airlines, with ticket prices and availability varying according to the time of year. During the 2007-2008 ski season, the average discount for a lift ticket purchased on Liftopia.com was 33 percent; this season, savings range up to 70 percent off.

To take advantage of the deals, customers must purchase in advance and for specific dates. Tickets can generally be purchased until the night before arrival, but allotments do sell out, and resorts can raise prices at any time. Lodging, lessons, and rental gear may also be offered at a reduced rate.

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