Washington Post (Sep 7, 2008) – By Carol Sottili

Ski Europe has released its SuperSki Week pricing for the 2008-09 season. Price starts at $749 per person double (plus $400 taxes and fuel surcharge) for six nights in Innsbruck, Austria. Three departures are offered January-March. The trip includes round-trip flights on Lufthansa from New York’s JFK, six nights at the three-star, family-owned Hotel Tautermann and daily buffet breakfast. Priced separately, air would cost $912 and the hotel $116 a night, for a savings of $222 per couple. Lift tickets are extra and start at about $147 for a three-day pass. Details: 800-333-5533; www.ski-europe.com.

Frommer’s (08/27/07) – By Jason Sheftell

After last year’s slow-starting European ski season, snow lovers are crossing their fingers while planning their attack on the continent’s most popular and challenging mountain resorts. To get a sneak peek at European ski deals available this winter, here’s an early look at some of the package deals that will be made available to the public on September 1, 2007. All of these package deals are available through SkiEurope (tel. 800/333-5533; www.ski-europe.com), the leading provider of overseas ski travel trips …read full article>

Kidz ‘Snow (02/06) – By Mitch Kaplan

The bus, packed to the gills, rolls through town en route to the Plose ski area. Passengers cling to skis, poles, snowboards. They chat amiably, though shouting is sometimes required to be heard over the vehicle’s rattling. At each stop, more snowsliders climb aboard. I’m amazed – and somehow reassured – by how many of them are kids who are heading to the slopes alone, no parents in tow.

Plose is the “home” ski area of Brixen-Bressanone, a small, historical city set in northern Italy’s Sudtirol. The ski center’s claim to fame is a run called The Plunge, reputed to be the longest black-diamond trail in the Tyrol.

New England Ski Journal (02/06) – By Mitch Kaplan

The snow was magnificent. We knew because we could feel it. Problem was we couldn’t see it (…)
So it was that first day on the snowfields of Innsbruck, Austria, on a trip conducted by tour operator SkiEurope.

The Times Herald–Record (02/19/06) – By Deborah J. Botti

Booked with: Ski-Europe.com. Rich’s group got a good rate, but individuals can book as well. Or call your local travel agent.

What if I don’t ski: No problem. One woman on Rich’s trip accompanied her husband and skiing wasn’t her thing.

The Times (02/09/06) – By Martin Griff

Turin isn’t the only snow show in Italy.

The eyes of the world may be focused on the action at this year’s Olympic Games host city, but the heart-stopping views are found in the Dolomite Mountains, a part of the Italian Alps, a couple hundred miles to the east.

Last month, I joined a group of snowsport journalists on a trip arranged by Houston-based SkiEurope to the mountain region located a 90-minute drive south of Innsbruck.

New Haven Register (02/06/06) – By Helen Jankoski

It’s fascinating to think that some 230 million years ago the Dolomites, a part of the Alps in northeastern Italy, were coral reefs beneath the sea.

Today, the craggy peaks are a dramatic setting for a skiers’ paradise.

Three weeks ago, a group of 16 mostly ski writers embarked on a trip we’d booked through SkiEurope, a Texas-based tour company. We flew from JFK to Munich, then traveled three hours by bus to the 4-star Hotel Gasser that would be our home base in the small city of Brixen (in German) or Bressanone (in Italian), just over the Austrian border in Italy …read full article>

Amsterdam Recorder (02/0206) – By Phil Johnson

All of the skiing takes place in a breathtaking setting. The Alps are much younger than the mountains close to home here. Where our peaks tend to be rounded and worn, the Alps a jagged and sheer. Much of the skiing takes place above the tree line which ends about 6,000 feet. The terrain is generally mountain pasture land in the summer. Some of it, Seiser Alm/Alpe di Suise in particular, is wide open and gentle where skiers share the landscape with hikers, sledders, and even horse drawn sleighs.

This trip was organized by Ski Europe/ Ski Canada, a Houston TX based ski travel specialist agency which arranged for the travel and lodging in addition to the ski related activities. For more details on this trip, and others they offer, check www.ski-europe,com or call 1-800-333-5533.

Buzz in the ‘burbs (01/06) – By Claudia Carbone

For packaged ski trips to Europe, contact SkiEurope at 800-333-5533 or www.ski-europe.com.

Travel Weekly (01/23/06) – By Felicity Long

’People…should really consider the purchasing power of a European ski vacation’.
The Travel Institute partnered with SkiEurope to introduce a certification course on skiing.

Frommer’s Online (December 16, 2005) By Jason Sheftell

From SkiEurope (tel. 800-333-5533; www.ski-europe.com) a seven-night trip to Chamonix including air and hotel starts at $1,079. The trip includes roundtrip air out of New York to France, all hotel accommodations at a top-notch ski lodge, and daily breakfast. Lift tickets aren’t included but the trip guarantees great snow and hard core trails. SkiEurope provides all airport transfers to the hotel and back for your return flight. Chamonix is France’s equivalent of Aspen or Vail. You can’t go wrong with a quaint ski town and charming inns.

SkiCanada Magazine (December, 2005) By George Koch

SkiEurope offers return airfare, return ground transfer, six nights’ accommodation from $1,775 in a three-star hotel during low season to $2,725 in a four-star hotel during high-season, daily breakfast and dinner included, per person Toronto departure (add $100 for Vancouver departure). Current air taxes and fuel surcharges add about $250. Not included: six-day adult lift pass, $275-$300.

Courier Magazine (December, 2005) By Frances Figart

Canadian-born Richard Davidson of SkiEurope, based in Houston, Texas, says, “Hard adventure travel usually requires some level of training or skill in order to participate and enjoy the experience to the fullest. Thus, hard adventure travel can mainly be sold only to individuals or groups that are already aficionados of the featured activity. It is not likely that people will buy a cycling tour unless they are cyclists, and we probably wouldn’t want them to”. In his business, Davidson said skiing is certainly a hard adventure activity. “The individual (FIT) segment of our business reflects this in both the demographics of our clients and their travel expectations.”

Travel Agent Magazine (November 14, 2005) By Fred Folmer

”We are seeing more and more ‘mixed families’, says Richard Davidson, president of tour operator SkiEurope. “You may have one hardcore skier and then others who are less serious, or who don’t ski at all. More and more resorts are not just ski resorts but winter vacation destinations.”

Conde’ Nast Traveler (November 2005) By Wendy Perrin

If you have a week, however, you can buy an economical package combining airfare, hotel, and transfers. Ski-Europe.com’s packages for this winter include a week in Chamonix for $829 and week in Cortina for $909 (both in three-star hotels.) The expert to contact at Ski-Europe.com is Dorothea Rasser.

The Industry Report (October 31, 2005) By J.D. O’Connor

“After 9/11, and with the war in Iraq, U.S. travelers were hesitant to book their winter vacation too long in advance with the frequent result that the air carriers and hotels were already sold out,” said Daniela Gugliotta, Marketing Director for SkiEurope.

Chicago Tribune (October 30, 2005) By Gerry Wingenbach

American tour operator Ski Europe (800-333-5533) www .Ski-Europe.com) offers a wide variety of packages to the Alps. Here are few examples. Be advised that prices are always subject to change and availability. Lift tickets are not included …more >

Forbes.com (October 24, 2005)

Designed by a Texas tour operator, this site digs deep into 60 resorts in six European countries. Use the matching took to search for hour perfect ski destination or brouse by resort. Experts evaluate each destination with detailed information about general slope conditions, difficulty ratings, night skiing and heli-skiing. Want to know about the hottest après-ski? Click on SkiMatcher and get results, like Meribel, France, which are accompanied by rundowns on local restaurants, clubs, museums and cafes. Or zero in a coveted trip to jet-set Davos, Switzerland, where you’ll find a trail map, photo gallery and a check list of What’s Great (cross-country trails) or What’s Not So Great (slopes are spread over five or six essentially separate areas).

The New York Times (September 18, 2005) By Bob Tedeschi

And even though American travelers now often ignore Europe because of the dollar’s shrinking value there, Europe can still provide bargains for skiers. On Ski -Europe.com, for instance, travelers can book a weeklong trip to Innsbruck departing on Jan. 12, Feb. 2 or 16 for $669, including round-trip air fare on Lufthansa and six nights’ accommodation at a three-star hotel (Tautermann). The price excludes taxes and fees of about $180 and lift tickets, which run about $184 for adults, and $110 for children for five days.

The San Francisco Examiner (August 22, 2005)

Ski Europe is offering SuperSki Week discounts to destinations throughout Europe, including Innsbruck, Austria; Garmisch, Germany; and Chamonix, France. A package to Innsbruck departing from Washington March 9, for example, starts at $709 per person double, plus about $205 in taxes, and includes air on Lufthansa, six nights at the three-star Hotel Tautermann, breakfasts and hotel taxes. Priced separately, the package would cost about $1,021 per person n a savings of $214 per couple. Info: 800-333-5533,http:// www.ski-europe.com/sswpreview …more >

Washington Post (Sep 7, 2008) – By Carol Sottili

Ski Europe is offering SuperSki Week discounts to destinations throughout Europe , including Innsbruck, Austria; Garmisch, Germany; and Chamonix, France. A package to Innsbruck departing from Washington March 9, for example, starts at $709 per person double, plus about $205 in taxes, and includes air on Lufthansa, six nights at the three-star Hotel Tautermann, breakfasts and hotel taxes. Priced separately, the package would cost about $1,021 per person — a savings of $214 per couple. Info: 800-333-5533, https://www.ski-europe.com/ssswpreview.

Frommer’s (August 9, 2005) – By Jason Sheftell

For you European ski lovers, low season deals can be a steal compared to high-season resort prices. Ski Europe (tel. 800/333-5533; www.ski-europe.com) has a special seven-night trip to Bormio, Italy, a medieval village in the Italian Alps with modern ski facilities starting at just $1,198 per person with round-trip airfare to Milan out of New York on a host of well-known carriers including Lufthansa and United. In addition to airfare, the seven-night trip with travel good from January 14 to January 22, 2006 includes accommodations at a three-star hotel, a rental car, and daily breakfast. Lift tickets are not included as you’ll probably want to do more than just ski to take advantage of the European countryside. The hotel is a shuttle bus away from the lifts and amenities include a hot tub, sauna and solarium. Expect announcements and prices for other 2006 Ski Europe deals on August 15, 2005. Check the Website or call a phone representative for details …more >

Conde’ Nast Traveler (August 2005) – by Wendy Perrin and Brook Wilkinson

Dorothea Rasser, SkiEurope, Houston
Born and raised in the Alps, Rasser has a line on the best slopes from Andorra to Albania. One of her favorite itineraries pairs a few days in Salzburg with a week at one of the Gastein Valley’s charming chalets. Many European ski resorts, she notes, require Saturday arrivals and departures. (800-333-5533; dorothea@ski-europe.com; www.ski-europe.com)

OnTheSnow.com (March 2005) – by Ted Heck

Seventeen writer friends, members of Eastern Ski Writers Association, recently had an enjoyable time in the Tyrol and several of the state’s 119 resorts. They were accompanied by Daniela Gugliotta, marketing director of Ski-Europe, the Houston-based tour operator who put the trip together. (www.ski-europe.com, 800-333-5533).

In the group were Phil Johnson, president of North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) which is the parent organization of ESWA. Also along for the ride was Mitch Kaplan, NASJA vice president, and editor of the New England daily news reports here at OnTheSnow.com

The Record (February 2005) – by Mitch Kaplan

…So it was that first day on the snowfields of Innsbruck, Austria, on a ski writers trip conducted by tour operator SkiEurope (ski-europe.com)

…Innsbruck is a skiing icon. Twice a Winter Olympic site (1968 and 1976), it holds eight individual ski areas. Tucked into a narrow valley between sharply rising mountain ranges, it’s also a sophisticated city, population 120,000, and home to major university.

The Times (February 03, 2005) – by Martin Griff

Although the skiing was good in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, there is good skiing all over the world, much of it closer to central New Jersey. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is an experience that is more than just the skiing, and that experience is worth the trip.

Our trip to Germany and Austria was set up by SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com), (800-333-5533), a Houston-based travel company that arranges ski trips for large and small groups and individuals. They have staff on site at many of the towns where they send travelers. After contact is made with the company, a travel consultant custom-books a trip.

Austin Fit Magazine (January 2005) – by Alex Earle

One of the most popular ski towns in Europe for the Western traveler, Innsbruck caters to anyone in search of a great getaway vacation.

…An excellent locale for the beginner to intermediate skier, there are more than 200 trails to navigate. Nightlife, not to mention shopping is a big hit and enough to keep the athletically-challenged entertained. If sightseeing and daily excursions are more your taste, day trips to Salzburg, Munich and Venice are offered, through the famed Bavarian Castles of Mad Ludwig have proven to be a tourist favorite.

With an all-inclusive package starting at $915 per person thru SkiEurope, (www.ski-europe.com 800-333-5533) a seven-night retreat at the three star hotel Tautermann can be enjoyed easily in the vibrant city. This is a no-brainer for these who want to experience the beauty of Europe. Overall Innsbruck is the place to go if you want to embark on a fun, economical and culturally rich vacation.

Diversion (January 2005) – by Louise Collazo

Wide-open, above-timberline slopes are one of the attraction of skiing in Europe. In March, add low prices, thanks to SkiEurope’s packages. For example, a trip to historic Innsbruck, Austria, cost $780, including airfare , seven nights’ hotel and daily breakfast. Or enjoy the challenging terrain of Chamonx, France, at the foot of of Mont Blanc, for $995, including airfare, transfers, seven nights’ hotel and daily breakfast.

Prices are per person from New York; other gateways available. Online, check out extra-value SuperSki Weeks packages, from $679 to $1,299 per person for air, six or seven nights’ hotel, daily breakfast and transfers (for all destinations except Innsbruck.) These exceptional deals sell out fast.

Western Snowsports Guide (Winter 2004/2005) – by Peter Schroeder

You can ski for a week in Italy for almost the same price you’d pay for similar destinations in the U.S. Rates for five nights’ accommodation, airfare to Europe, meals and more, begin at under $700. For low-cost ski tours to Europe, Contact SkiEurope at www.ski-europe.com, (800) 333-5533.

Sacramento Bee (December 26, 2004) by Janet Fullwood

And if you think Americans with anemic dollars can’t afford the good life, think again: Ski packages from the United States – negotiated before the dollar’s fall – can be had this season from about $1,500, including round-trip airfare, seven nights’ lodging at a three-star hotel. Check with Houston–based Ski Europe at (713) 960-0900 or www.ski-europe.com.

Los Angeles Times (December 12, 2004) by Grace Lichtenstein

With an exchange rate of about $1.35 to one euro, a package tour may be the most economical way to ski in France. Ski Europe, 1535 W. Loop South, Suite 319, Houston, TX 77027: (800) 333-5533, http: //www.ski-europe.com. Packages available Jan 14-22 or Jan 21-29 for $1,060 per person, double occupancy, including airfare from LAX to Geneva, ground transfers in Europe, seven nights in a moderately priced hotel with breakfast daily, local taxes and service charges.

Ski Canada Magazine (December 2004) by George Koch

Nearest airport is Torino (Turin), about 90 minutes’ drive by freeway and two-lane secondary highway. Milan, about four hours’ drive from Sestriere, has superior international air service. Ski Europe package including return airfare to Turin, Italy, seven nights’ hotel accommodation in four-star slopeside Hotel Cristallo in Sestriere, breakfast and dinner daily at the hotel, seven-day rental car, C$2,155 Toronto departure, C$2,590 Vancouver departure (local/European taxes included, Canadian taxes extra). For more information contact www.ski-europe.com.

SKI Magazine (November 2004) by Everett Potter

For first-timers heading across the pond, the question of where to go can be mind-boggling. Operators such as Ski Europe organize hundreds of vacations to Europe to resorts large and small. They have price-driven packages that defy the current week dollar and make a ski trip to Europe as attractively priced as one to the Rockies. But more importantly, says Daniela Gugliotta, Ski Europe’s marketing manager, “Most of our staff is European, or they’ve spent a lot of time at the resorts. And when people call, they want personal recommendations. We can give that to them.”

The Houston Chronicle (October 17, 2004) by Harry Shattuck

Tours that include airfare and lodging are cost-savers, too. One weeklong Ski Europe package from Houston in January costs only $1,295 per person. St Moritz doesn’t fit the image of a romantic “Heidi-style” Swiss village. Instead of wood chalets, you’ll find lots of concrete, steel and glass. And no cows parade through the streets dragging bells as in Zermatt, another favorite Swiss ski resort.

For practical purposes, there are two distinct districts – St. Moritz-Dorf, home to the fanciest shops and lodgings (except the Kempinski) and the more budget-friendly St. Moritz-Bad. They are connected by public buses and walkways. Although you’ll hear German, Italian, French and the local Romansch language, almost everyone here understands English.

Acura Magazine (Fall 2004) by Claire Walter

Imagine taking one winter vacation to 14 ski resorts in two countries, with 288 marked slopes, untold off-piste acres, eight terrain parks, and more than 200 ski-lifts – without having to move from one hotel to another. Such is Portes du Soleil-French for “portals to the sun,” but in truth, synonymous with access to skiing, and more skiing. Billed as the world’s largest domain, it is truly a place where you can spend a week and hardly ever retrace your own ski tracks.

This vast ski region straddling the Franco-Swiss border comprises ancient Alpine villages, built-for-skiing mid-mountain resorts, and former farming hamlets where lifts now converge. You make your way from one to another by following coded signs that mark groomed circuits geared to specific ability levels from novice to expert. And if you tire of the groomers, you can drop into power bowls, mogul fields, and challenging chutes for an extra adrenaline rush. www.ski-europe-com (800)333-5533.

Condé Nast Traveler – (March 2004) by Caroline Binham

For a European-style ski break, head to the oldest ski resort in the Italian Alps, Courmayeur, in the Valle d’Aosta. Peak-season crowds can overrun the postcard-perfect slopes and the town’s cobblestoned streets, studded with chic emporia. But by early March the prices and visitor numbers are down, making it an ideal time to arrive, especially as the month’s average snowfall—85 inches—is Courmayeur’s greatest. The 62.5 miles of mostly intermediate pistes promote style over substance, in keeping with the Italian tradition of looking good at all times. Book a package trip through Ski Europe (713-960-0900; www.ski-europe.com).

Tahoe Daily Tribune – (March 18, 2004) by Curtis Fong

The West Region of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association, to which I serve as president, and Ski Europe, put together a media tour this past February and I was fortunate to partake in this very fine European ski adventure. Our destinations included Champery, Switzerland and the legendary Chamonix, France, with a day trip to Courmayeur, Italy, and day in Verbier, Switzerland. It was a dream ski adventure that one could not pass up. Ski Europe, based out of Houston, Texas, is a 17-year old professional travel and tour company specializing in European winter vacations for individuals or groups to 60 resorts in six different European countries. Whether you’re a veteran traveler or a first timer to Europe, Ski Europe can help make all the arrangements.

The Scarsdale Enquirer – (March 5, 2004) by Dan Grabel

The Swiss franc, identified as CHf, is the currency of the realm, although they’ll condescend to accept Euros, which the rest of the continent uses as legal tender. The CHf is worth 80 cents American. Our trip was organized by SkiEurope, which is located in Houston. It arranges individual and group travel to 60 resorts in Europe, winter and summer. For information, call (800)333-5533 or www.Ski-Europe.com.

Harrison Report – (February 20, 2004) by Dan Grabel

Our trip was organized by Ski Europe, which has been taking Americans to European destinations for the past 17 years. It arranges individual or group travel to six alpine countries: Andorra, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. It is headquartered in Houston and you can get information by phone at 800-333-5533 or on the web at www.ski-europe.com. If you have specific demands, you can use their SkiMatcher program, which recommends resorts, with details on 40 topics. The printout guide can run 20 pages. They have the nitty-gritty on 60 European ski destinations.

The Record – (February 12, 2004) by Mitch Kaplan

A European ski trip goes well beyond sliding on snow. It’s a cultural exchange that, as with most travel, expands your world. Oh, and one more thing about Engelberg: While I saw shops selling trinkets and souvenirs, I didn’t see one T-shirt shop. Talk about cultural differences. American ski tour operators who can supply information on Engelberg or Swiss skiing include: SkiEurope (800)333-5533, www.Ski-Europe.com …

The Hour – (February 12, 2004) by Al Harvey

What really made the journey easy though, considering the problems of traveling with heavy bags and skis, was a luggage handling operation called Flyrail that was arranged by SkiEurope, the company that booked our trip. Once we checked our luggage in at JFK we never saw it again until it arrived in our rooms in Engelberg.

The Gloucester Daily Times – (February 7, 2004) by Dave Sartwell

It is hard to describe how beautiful the mountains of Switzerland are. No postcard or picture can capture the majesty of the views that assault you at every turn. You can travel here for about the same amount of money that a trip to the Rockies can cost and be skiing in some of the best resorts in the world. For more information on the Engadine Valley contact www.pontresina.com or www.Stmoritz.ch. To make arrangements for a trip contact www.Ski-Europe.com.

The Recorder – (February 5, 2004) by Phil Johnson

Also, the part of the trip that was not a family visit was under the watchful eye of an experienced tour coordinator, who made certain that transfers and accomodations went smoothly and without surprise. However, my experience is by no means unique, and is something that could be equaled by anyone with the time and interest. The tour operator who coordinated our plans was SkiEurope / SkiCanada, (www.Ski-Europe.com), a Houston, Texas-based ski-travel-only firm that has been in business since the mid-1980s.

The Gloucester Daily Times – (January 31, 2004) by David Sartwell

I do have one complaint, however. In all of the days we were skiing in Switzerland I never heard a single person yodel (except for me, of course). For more information on skiing in the Engelberg region, visit the Web site – www.engelberg.ch. For information on how to book a ski trip to Switzerland, contact SkiEurope at www.ski-europe.com.

WashingtonPost.com – (January 11, 2004) by Carol Sottili

Spend a week in the ski center of Austria for about $150 more than the price of airfare alone with a deal by Ski Europe (800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com). The Feb. 20-28 package costs $725 and includes round-trip air on Lufthansa from Dulles to Innsbruck, seven nights at the three-star Hotel Tautermann, buffet breakfasts and local taxes. Air taxes of about $130 per person are extra. Airfare for late February weekends is currently running about $707, and the hotel is typically $101 a night.

Ski Canada Magazine (November 2003) by George Koch

Even Ski Canada’s meticulous efforts can’t tell you everything about a resort in 200 words. But there is a skier’s travel website that has all the nuts and bolts data to put together your trip of a lifetime: www.ski-europe.com; 800/333-5533. Founder and president Richard Davidson took his first North American skiers to Europe more than 30 years ago, and today SkiEurope is the leading North American tour operator to the Alps whether you join a group or have them customize a trip for yours.

Outside Magazine (November 2003)

More than 60 chairlifts serve Innsbruck, meaning you’re never more than a short walk from the slopes. Spend eight days at the three-star, family-run Hotel Tautermann Garni, tucked in a quiet residential neighborhood just ten minutes by foot from the Hungerburg Lift. By day, rip tens of thousands of acres of fluffy Tyrolean schnee. By night, kick back at a classical concert at the Treibhaus or sip a schneevogel cocktail – a frosty apple-flavored cognac drink – at the November Bar. Package price includes round trip travel from New York to Innsbruck, seven nights’ accomodation, breakfasts, and six days of lift passes good at any of the five nearby ski areas. A DIY package would run you at least 65 percent more. The fine print: Travel dates are fixed: January 10-18, 2004. Meals not included. Contact: Ski Europe, 800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com

Chicago Tribune (November 9, 2003) by Gerry Wingenbach

GETTING THERE: American-based Ski Europe (800-589-7339; www.Ski-Europe.com) offers packages to the Alps that are as varied as the blades of a Swiss army knife. Some examples (subject to availability) of seven-night packages (per person based on double occupancy) with air from Chicago that include breakfast and ground or rail transfer to the ski area from the gateway city …

Wall Street Journal (November 6, 2003) by Christina Binkley

Ski Europe is offering round-trip tickets and seven nights in Courchevel, France, for $735 a person. The double-occupancy package includes travel between New York and Lyon (three hours north of Courchevel), transfers to the resort, accommodation in the two-Star Hotel Olympic and breakfast. It doesn’t cover lift tickets – the price for a week’s ski pass is €161, or about $184.

Weekender (November 5, 2003) by Michelle Zimmermann

If all this sounds like too much work to organize on your own, try going through a ski vacation booking agency, such as SkiEurope, an agency that specializes in booking package trips to resorts in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, and Andorra. Booking agencies can help you organize hotel and resort information, lift passes, airfare and other transport to ease the planning process.

San José Mercury News (November 2, 2003) by Claire Walter

Site of the first Winter Olympics (though they weren’t officially recognized as such until 1925), Chamonix is steeped in winter sports history, but its proximity to Mont Blanc’s spires and scare-your-self-silly runs at Argentière and the Vallée Blanche ensure an ever-elevated adrenaline level. More moderate terrain is, of course, spread across the ski mountains closest to Chamonix or the 13 areas covered by the Mont Blanc regional ski pass. SkiEurope’s Chamonix package starts at $1078 for San Francisco-Geneva round trip air, ground transfers and seven nights at the three-star Croix Blanche Hotel with daily breakfast. SkiEurope: (800)333-5533, www.Ski-Europe.com. Lift tickets are about $240 additional for six days for the 13-resort Mont Blanc region, about $205 for Chamonix only.

Men’s Fitness (November issue) by Everett Potter

To keep costs down, book a seven-night, Saturday-to-Saturday stay, which is how most European ski hotels operate. While you can hunt down your own internet deals, packages sold by ski-tour operators combining airfare, transfers, hotel, and some meals are the cheapest options. Try Adventures on Skis (800-628-9655; advonskis.com), Moguls Mountain Travel (800-666-4857; skimoguls.com), and Ski Europe (800-333-5533; ski-europe.com).

Calgary Herald (October 18, 2003) by Lisa Kadane

SkiEurope, a tour company that arranges ski travel on the Continent, can help you build a custom itinerary for Italy. Visit www.ski-europe.com or call 1-800-333-5533. In general, skiing in Italy is a less-expensive endeavour than schussing in other European countries. A daily lift pass for the five Italian Via Lattea resorts costs about 30 euros ($46 Cdn) and a six-day, low-season pass costs an unbelievable 138 euros ($211 Cdn).

Houston Chronicle (October 16, 2003) by Harry Shattuck

Houstonians are fortunate, too, in that one of North America’s largest and most successful European winter vacation planning agencies — Ski Europe — is headquartered here and works closely with Best of the Alps members (and other resorts). … A growing trend, too, is to combine a resort stay with other vacation pursuits. “Sixty percent of our clients now do something other than one resort,” says Richard Davidson, who owns the Ski Europe agency and can customize trips to accomodate specific interests.

The Miami Herald (October 12, 2003) by Everett Potter

I’m not the only one. Last year, Ski Europe, a Houston-based tour operator that specializes in European ski vacations, sent several thousand American skiers to resorts like St. Anton, Austria, Courchevel, France and Zermatt, Switzerland. “If you compare apples and apples,” Richard Davidson, Ski Europe’s president says, “in most cases it’s less expensive to go to Europe than to the Rockies.”

St. Petersburg Times (October 12, 2003) by Dan Leeth

After touchdown, the next difference between destinations emerges: Out west, you’re still in the United States – same language, money, customs. In Europe, of course, you’ve landed in a foreign world. “You’re going to have a totally different experience,” says Daniela Gugliotta of SkiEurope. “You’re not just going for the skiing: You’re going there to experience the culture, taste the food and see things you won’t find here.”

Calgary Herald (October 11, 2003) by Lisa Kadane

My ski vacation was organized by SkiEurope, a tour company that arranges individual and group travel to 60 resorts in six countries (Andorra, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland). SkiEurope packages typically include airfare, airport transfers, accomodations and breakfasts, though dinner may often be included in the itenerary for an additional cost. Ski passes usually cost extra. A week in Zermatt in January with accomodation and breakfast in a three-star hotel, round-trip airfare from Toronto to Geneva and transportation to and from Zermatt via Swiss Rail costs about $1,700 per person. Visit www.ski-europe.com, or call 1-800-333-5533.

PalmBeachPost.com (October 5, 2003) by Cheryl Blackerby

Sound interesting? Here are three packages offered by SkiEurope, the largest European ski package provider. (Call 800-589-7339 or 800-333-5533; or visit www.ski-europe.com). All prices are per person double. Ask about air fares from West Palm Beach and Miami.

Skier News (Fall 2003) by Don “Snoshu” Thompson

Prepare first, regardless of when you go. Here are 10 suggestions. (1) Passport in order? You will not need a visa (a Visa card as well as almost any card will be welcome). (2) Get some Euros (European currency) now from a bank. The Euro is rising and the dollar dropping. When I was there in June $100 US bought $105 EU. It was the reverse in January, $100 US bought $95 EU. This could reverse again; it is as reliable as stock market fluctuations. (3) Contact Ski-Europe if you have a group wanting to go. They can handle the details. If you are just a couple they might be able to help also. Try www.ski-europe.com, 1-800-333-5533.

The Providence Journal (August 24, 2003)

It may seem way too early to think about skiing, but SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com), one of the best ski vacation packagers, is gearing up for the 2003-04 season. A preview of its SuperSki Weeks deals was sent recently to www.SkiEuropeReport.com subscribers. The packages will be officially published Labor Day on the SkiEurope Web site. Some week-long holidays to Europe costing less than $800 include air fare from New York and lodging.

Detroit Free Press (July 27, 2003) by Tom Parsons

SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com), one of the best ski vacation packagers, has geared up for the 2003-04 season. A preview of its SuperSki Weeks deals will be given to www.SkiEuropeReport.com subscribers Aug. 15. The packages will be officially published Sept. 1 on the SkiEurope Web site. Some week-long holidays to Europe costing less than $800 include airfare from New York and lodging.

TravelGram (April 17, 2003)

Forbes has named SkiEurope’s Web site, www.ski-europe.com as one of their “Best of the Web” selections for spring 2003. The magazine’s editors reviewed thousands of Web sites in 22 categories for this year’s picks according to five criteria: content, design, speed, navigation, and customization. SkiEurope’s Web site was chosen as one of the best in the European Travel category.

National Ski Club Newsletter (March/April 2003)

While America’s ski clubs are familiar with SkiEurope as the country’s leading tour operator to Europe, their independent traveler business – which has been developed through a heavy Internet presence – is growing so rapidly that the company was named by Interactive Week as one of the world’s Top 500 e-commerce companies. (…) SkiEurope is also a sponsor of Tour the Alps, a project where a team of writers and photographers toured the Alps and reported their observations and photos on the Internet.

Courier (March 2003)

Canadian-born Richard Davidson never intended to be a tour operator. But because he had spent much time in Austria growing up, he offered to help a new branch of the Austrian Trade Commission create a market for winter travel in Texas. Their first endeavor, to Badgastein, Austria, went over big. “We optimistically expected 300 guests and ended up with 1,400,” Davidson recalls. “Suddenly we had a tour company.”

SkiEurope isn’t really a “ski” business, but rather a “winter vacation” business, Davidson says. “Less than half of our guests ski at all; they go to Europe for the overall experience of culture, tradition and beauty.” He says one of the myths he tries to dispel about Europe is that it’s costly. On the contrary, “a weeklong winter vacation in Europe can be less expensive that in the United States.”

North American Snowsports Journalists Assoc. West Newsletter (March 2003)

Wow! What kind of winter has it been for you? Too much snow, not enough snow, just right? The snow was just right in Europe as our troops gathered for one of the best media trips in years. Big thanks to Daniela Gugliotta from SkiEurope and all her hard work to make it happen. We carved turns high above Grindelwald and Wengen in the Swiss Alps, and rode the train up the Eiger into the glacier ice caves … all the way to the Top of Europe … What a spectacular view.

Washington Post (March 23, 2003) by Carol Sotilli

If you prefer to mix your spring skiing with a dash of European culture, head to Switzerland. SkiEurope (800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com) is offering a $775 trip to Engelberg, Switzerland, a picturesque village located two hours from Zurich and an hour from Lucerne that offers year-round glacier skiing and many other outdoor activities. The trip departs April 12 and includes round-trip airfare from Washington Dulles to Zurich, five nights’ lodging at the three-star Hotel Terrace, continental buffet breakfast, round-trip airport-rail transfers and all local taxes and service charges. A five-day lift ticket is about $120 extra and taxes are about $80 per person. Prices are based on double occupancy. Airfare alone to Zurich in April is currently about $675.

OnTheSnow.com – (18 March 2003) by Mitch Kaplan

Engelberg, Switzerland: Forget Cancun. Take your spring break in Switzerland. SkiEurope offers a week in Engelberg, a low-key but happening resort with a nice mix of students and families, from $595 pp/do. This includes: round-trip airfare, economy class, via Lufthansa from New York JFK to Zurich, five nights’ accommodations with continental buffet breakfast daily in a three-star hotel, second class transfers by Swiss Rail, local taxes and service charges in Europe. Travel dates: March 22 – 28 or March 29 – April 4. Other departure airports are available for an additional fee. For more information: 800-333-5533.

Travel Agent (24-Feb-03) Fred Folmer

Europe is particularly appealing for those who want to combine a ski trip with distinctive alpine style and culture. Consequently, this market can be very lucrative for agents, according to Daniela Gugliotta, director of SkiEurope, 11 million people went to winter resorts last year. “The winter market has great potential.”

Independent Traveler – (18 February 2003)

Live la dolce vita with a ski vacation to Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of Italy’s most upscale ski resorts. Through March 30, TourTheAlps.com is offering seven-night packages to this Italian wonderland from just $739 per person, including round-trip air, bus transfers, lodging, and daily buffet breakfast. As a special offer to Independent Traveler readers, TourTheAlps.com is offering an additional $200 cash back when you book your package using your MasterCard!

Courier (February 2003) Jamie Swedberg

Because Munich is a very walkable and navigable city, it’s easy to fit in a variety of attractions. Daniela Gugliotta, marketing director at SkiEurope, Houston, Texas, suggests a stop at the Alte Pinakothek, one of Europe’s most famous and extensive galleries. The Marienplatz, with its mechanical glockenspiel clock, simply can’t be missed.

Independent Traveler – (02 February 2003)

Take to the slopes this spring break for an exciting winter getaway you’ll never forget! SkiEurope is offering special packages to Engelberg, Switzerland, starting from just $595 per person. This escape includes round-trip airfare from New York’s JFK to Zurich via Lufthansa, a train transfer, five-night accommodations at the Hotel Terrace, and a breakfast buffet served daily. Local taxes are also included. Travel is valid for the following dates: March 8 – 14, 15 – 20, 22 – 27, and March 29 – April 3.

New York Post – (January 2003) Everett Potter

Sometimes it’s cheaper to leave the country than to head west. You can score airfare to Europe, seven nights in a cute little pension, daily breakfast and a rental car for less than $800 a person.

Innsbruck, Austria – The site of the 1964 Olympics, Innsbruck is a great city, but you need to go half an hour by bus to get to the nearby slopes, such as the enormous and challenging Stubai Glacier. A $639 package via Austrian Airlines includes seven nights at the Hotel Goldene Krone. 800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com

OnTheSnow.com – (20 January 2003)Mitch Kaplan

SkiEurope presents another golden opportunity to ski “over there.” This time it’s Brig, Switzerland, for as little as $749 pp/do. Included: round-trip economy airfare on Lufthansa (New York/JFK to Geneva; other departure airports are available for an additional fee); seven nights’ accommodation at the three-star Good Night Inn, or similar hotel; buffet hotel breakfast daily seven days’ economy car rental; local taxes and service charges in Europe. Prices do not include mandatory air taxes and fees, and optional travel insurance. This trip runs February 7-15, so call pronto 800-333-5533.

Bottom Line/ Personal – (15 January 2003) Susan Farewell

SkiEurope.com offers some of the best deals, including a seven-night package in Chamonix, France, from $769 per person . . .or St.Moritz, Switzerland, from $999 per person. Flight time: 10 hours. 800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com.

OnTheSnow.com – (6 January 2003) Mitch Kaplan

SkiEurope’s SuperSki Weeks to Interlaken depart Saturday, January 18 or Saturday, February 1 from New York’s JFK Airport with arrival in Zurich. They include seven nights’ lodging with buffet breakfast in the three-star hotel Chalet Swiss and seven days’ car rental for $639 pp/do, subject to availability. Other departure airports are available for an additional fee. Air taxes and optional travel insurance aren’t included. Call 800-333-5533 to get down to the fine print.

Houston Business Journal – (2 January 2003) Christine Hall

Houston boasts one of the hottest, most humid climates in the United States and – as Colorado is well aware – a large number of ski enthusiasts.

One Houston-based company helps many of the city’s sweltering executives escape not to the familiar winter resorts in the United States but to the crisp, clean air of the Alps. SkiEurope organizes winter vacations from North America to major European destinations.

For more than 17 years, Richard Davidson and his knowledgeable staff – most of whom are multilingual Europeans – has arranged individual or group excursions. Currently, arrangements are made to 60 resorts in six alpine countries: Andorra, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

Frommer’s Budget Travel (December 2002/January 2003) David Howard

(. . .) The shrinking cost of European travel has made skiing in the Alps an increasingly appealing budget proposition. These days, for well under $1,000 – sometimes for less than $700 – you can get a round-trip flight and seven-night stay within a few ski lengths of Europe’s best powder.

(. . .)SkiEurope offers (in Chamonix, France) a $798 rate for the bright, airy Hotel Pointe Isabelle, which is two stars but feels nicer; almost all of its 39 rooms have balconies.

(. . .)SkiEurope offers (in Courmayeur, Italy) an air-and-land package, January and late March at the two-star Hotel Select, which has 17 austere rooms but is only a two-minute walk to the lifts; it’s a good deal for people who are there for the slopes, not to lounge in a room.

DCSki.com – (29 December 2002) John Sherwood

With all the resources on skiing available on the web, printed guidebooks have almost become obsolete. Resort websites and ski portals such as DCSki typically provide most of the information found in guidebooks. (…) With that being said, I must confess that I have finally found a guidebook worth purchasing. Where to Ski and Snowboard Worldwide is the ultimate reference for those contemplating a ski trip to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. (…) SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com) will deduct the cost of the book from any ski vacation booked by its staff during the 2002-2003 season.

Washington Times – (21 December 2002) Dagan McCann

SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com) has created a package for the 2003 season that makes me scratch my head in disbelief. Round-trip airfare from Washington aboard Austrian Airlines, weeklong car rental, seven nights at the five-star Ronacher Thermen Hotel, full board and free use of the wellness center with its multitude of indoor and outdoor pools and saunas are included in the package.

Priced at $1,398 per person based on double occupancy in January, this is a great way to see and ski the Austrian Alps for a reasonable price.

Though the two regions I visited are just the tip of the slopes when it comes to skiing the Austrian Alps, they both hold positions of distinction in that both offer superb value for a ski vacation. When compared to the prices at the resorts across the United States, there is such a discrepancy that even with airfare included, you still come out on top by making the choice to ski in the Austrian Alps this season.

Washington Times – (21 December 2002) Dagan McCann

SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com) has created a package for the 2003 season that makes me scratch my head in disbelief. Round-trip airfare from Washington aboard Austrian Airlines, weeklong car rental, seven nights at the five-star Ronacher Thermen Hotel, full board and free use of the wellness center with its multitude of indoor and outdoor pools and saunas are included in the package.

Priced at $1,398 per person based on double occupancy in January, this is a great way to see and ski the Austrian Alps for a reasonable price.

Though the two regions I visited are just the tip of the slopes when it comes to skiing the Austrian Alps, they both hold positions of distinction in that both offer superb value for a ski vacation. When compared to the prices at the resorts across the United States, there is such a discrepancy that even with airfare included, you still come out on top by making the choice to ski in the Austrian Alps this season.

Ski Magazine – (November 2002)

Innsbruck, Austria: Jan. 11 – 19; Jan 18 – 26. Round-trip air to Munich, all transfers, seven nights’ lodging in a three-star hotel with daily breakfast, lift tickets not included. Includes a guided tour of Innsbruck, a toboggan excursion and a Tyrolean Folk Night. $685 per person, double occupancy. 800-333-5533.

BestFares.com – (05 November 2002)

SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com) offers great deals for airline-inclusive vacations to Europe with departure on specific weekend dates December through March. These SuperSki Week packages also include lodging in two-, three- or four-star resorts, breakfasts, transfers or rental car and taxes. Base prices are for departure from New York City but other gateways are offered at nominal added costs. Innsbruck, Austria is the lowest priced deal (from $499) with accommodations at Hotel Tautermann. Travel to Chamonix, France and stay at the Hotel Point Isabelle or travel to Courmayeur, Italy and stay at Hotel Select from $679. Samples of $689 packages include Andorra and Interlaken, Switzerland.

Ski Canada – (Winter 2002)

Take five dedicated skiers and snowboarders, give them cameras, laptops and an unlimited budget, send them to eleven of the coolest ski resorts in the Alps, and you have Tour the Alps 2003. Ski Canada’s western editor, George Koch, is leading the team of five lads, which includes lead photographer Scott Smith, who’s shot several covers for the magazine, and well-known freerider Sven Brunso, who shows up frequently in Ski Canada on either end of the photographer’s lens. The tour kicks off on January 5, and the team will ski for the next 37 consecutive days, uploading the day’s best photos plus a fresh story every day to a dedicated website. The project is being organized by authoritative tour operator SkiEurope, with help from Travelocity, MasterCard and other sponsors. The project’s aim is to promote travel to the Alps. Who could object to that?

Money (November 2002)

(. . .) There are runs for everyone, including beginners, and some of the most challenging lift-served off-trail skiing in the world. The slopes sit at high altitude, so there’s always plenty of snow from November to at least April. If that weren’t enough, Savoie, the region where Val d’Isère is located, offers some of the tastiest dishes you’ll find at any resort in Europe.

In January, SkiEurope (800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com) is offering round-trip airfare to Geneva from New York, seven nights’ accommodations (based on double occupancy), breakfast and shuttle transfers for $969. A six-day lift pass costs just $27 a day.

DCSki (11 November 2002) John Sherwood

(. . .) It is possible to book last minute trips using the Web, but I would not recommend this approach for most travelers. Reading foreign web sites or communicating accurately with small hotel proprietors via e-mail can be a challenge if you are not fluent in the local language. Agencies like SkiEurope handle all these details to assure travelers the smoothest possible trip. SkiEurope also screens the hotels it books clients into, and employs knowledgeable European skiers as agents – a big benefit for travelers unfamiliar with European ski resorts.

New York Times (10 November 2002) Martha Stevenson Olson

An online purveyor of European ski packages, some of them of very good value, is www.ski-europe.com. For example, a Mont Blanc package includes seven nights at a three-star hotel in Chamonix, round-trip airfare on Lufthansa from New York to Geneva, a buffet breakfast and full dinner daily, and transfers, at $1,190 per person. Travel dates are Jan. 10 – 18, 2003, and the package must be booked by Dec. 5.

Times (1 November 2002) Linda McK. Stewart

SkiEurope, which operates out of Houston, Texas, has compiled list of European skiing bargains, most of them available from mid-November up through February. The possibilities are so tempting, so astonishing, so irresistible that it’s easy to imagine even non-skiers signing up and telling one another that it’s less expensive to spend the week in the Alps than it is to stay at home. And it is.

Chicago Tribune (3 November 2002) Dan Leeth

Some decisions are tough. For about the price of a winter’s week in the West, you can fly to Europe and schuss the very slopes where Alpine skiing began.

Dollars or euros? Apple pie or apple strudel? A short hop across the plains or a long haul over the pole? There is so much to consider, and it starts with getting there.

… “You’re going to have a totally different experience,” says Daniela Gugliotta of SkiEurope. “You’re not just going for the skiing. You’re going there to experience the culture, taste the food and see things you won’t find here.” Click here for full story

Ski Magazine (November 2002) Everett Potter

Greg Gulik took his first ski trip to Europe last year and had the time of his life. He and his friends chose Innsbruck, Austria, and they weren’t disappointed … “We found it cheaper to go to Innsbruck than to Colorado. A month before our trip, my sister paid more for five days in Vail than we did for seven days in Austria.”

Gulik’s experience isn’t unique. Mimi Hunt and her husband have skied in Europe every winter for the past five years, taking their now 13-year-old son with them. “It’s such a good deal that you can’t pass it up,” says Hunt. Like Gulik, Hunt used a Houston-based tour operator called SkiEurope to create their trips. Last year, SkiEurope sent several thousand Americans to resorts such as St. Anton, Cortina, and Zermatt. The rock-bottom deal-of-deals was a “SuperSki Week” in Innsbruck for $500 per person, including round-trip airfare, seven night’s lodging and daily breakfast . . .

Houston Chronicle (20 October 2002) Syd Kearney

Houston-based SkiEurope provides custom holidays to 60 resorts in six countries, including Austria, Germany and Switzerland. SkiEurope’s “SuperSki Week” offers among some of the best deals available and can cost less than a comparable vacation in the United States. We found a seven-night holiday to Innsbruck, Austria, in January for $714. The package includes airfare from Houston, seven nights’ lodging and breakfast daily. Call 713-960-0900; www.ski-europe.com.

OnTheSnow.com (15 October 2002) Mitch Kaplan

SkiEurope has created SuperSki Weeks, a bevy of deals for winter vacations in Andorra, Austria, France, Italy, or Switzerland – 31 resorts in all, in five countries. Prices look like this: Innsbruck, Austria, from $499; Interlaken, Switzerland, from $639; Chamonix, France, from $679; Courmayeur, Italy, from $679; Andorra la Vella, Andorra, from $689. Included? Round-trip airfare, economy class from New York JFK to a gateway airport in Europe; seven nights’ hotel quality accommodations; daily buffet breakfast, or in some cases, buffet breakfast and dinner daily; self-drive rental car; local taxes and service charges in Europe. Do the Continental – call 800-333-5533.

Travel Agent (14 October 2002) Maria Lisella

When you visit SkiEurope’s web site (www.ski-europe.com), you can subscribe to its newsletter. Click on “Chamonix” for an example of the “SuperSki Week” package, which includes round-trip airfare from New York, seven nights’ accommodations, buffet breakfast daily or breakfast and dinner daily, a car rental, and local taxes and service charges for $679 per person double. Call 800-333-5533.

National Geographic Adventure (October 2002)

No, actually, it’s not too early to think about snow sports. The best of the many book-early bargains: the sale on January trips to Courmayeur, Italy ($725), Zermatt, Switzerland ($898), and Val d’Isère, France ($949), at SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com). Rates include airfare from New York and seven nights’ lodging.

Dallas Morning News (17 August 2002) Tom Parsons

Houston-based SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com) offers packages to Europe for the price of a U.S. ski vacation. A $675 package departing January 11 takes you to Salzburg, Austria, via Swiss International Air Lines and provides seven nights at the three-star Hotel Centro. Ski Germany with a $759 package to Germany departing November 9 (air travel to Munich). This package includes seven nights at the four-star Hotel Regent. Prices are from New York but low-cost add-on fares are available

Money Magazine (October 2002) Megan Johnston

SkiEurope (800-333-5533; www.ski-europe.com) has early booking deals available for January. For $589 per person, you get seven nights at the four-star Sailer Hotel in Innsbruck, Austria, including breakfast and round-trip airfare from New York City (from Chicago, add $70, from Los Angeles, $230; other departure cities available). Or visit Italy’s chic Cortina d’Ampezzo for $989 per person from New York City. The price includes airfare to Venice, seven nights at the Hotel Bellevue, breakfast and seven-day car rental. All prices assume double occupancy, lift tickets not included.

Travel and Leisure (26 June 2002) Ann M. Shields

The Deal: The Fourth of July approaches and it’s time to think SKI. Well, at least if you want to think about cool places, clothing that covers more than your beach togs do, and savings. SkiEurope is offering a couple of sweet deals that haven’t even made it onto their website yet. For instance, next January, you can get roundtrip airfare from New York to Venice, shuttle transfer to Cortina d’Ampezzo, and seven night’s accommodations with breakfast.

The hotel is walking distance from the ski lifts and has a jacuzzi and sauna to relieve those aching muscles after a day in the Dolomites. Oh, and the whole thing costs $720. The airfare to Aspen alone would probably cost you that. Though the deal isn’t listed on the site yet, you can read there about Cortina and what the slopes and town have to offer the humble American skier. And you can call to book it now, while the slopes are still green and covered with wildflowers.

The Vail Trail (29 March 2002) Laura Bell

Tired of trying to find a ski resort that meets the specific needs of you or your family? What if you want to brush up on your Italian and German during a ski vacation, or if you are on a limited budget and don’t want to venture too far from home?

Rather than spend hours surfing the Internet, calling travel agents or polling friends and family for suggestions, a few simple clicks will help you find your ideal destination. SkiMatcher.com was designed for the savvy traveler. As its name suggests, SkiMatcher matches the individual’s needs with the resort’s specifications…This one of a kind website, run by SkiEurope, a Texas-based company, was initially launched in November 2000 exclusively to subscribers of SkiEurope’s newsletter…After some tweaking, the service was made available to the general public.

To find your ideal resort, log onto: www.SkiMatcher.com

The National Ski Club Newsletter (March-April 2002) Bob Wilbanks

I asked SkiEurope to show me one of those small, scenic European villages with excellent skiing but that are relatively unknown to most American skiers – in other words, one of Europe’s “secret” ski resorts. That’s how I ended up in central Switzerland on a quiet SwissRail electric-powered train heading for Lucerne, then to the village of Engelberg, about 35 kilometers in the mountains above Lucerne via a cog-rail train.

The National Ski Club Newsletter (March-April 2002) Ted Heck

Houston-based SkiEurope is one of the most successful tour operators in sending groups or individuals to the Alps. In a recent issue of this magazine President Richard Davidson said there is more to consider about a trip than its price.

Nevertheless, SkiEurope’s comprehensive website, www.ski-europe.com advertises vacations in the Alps for as little as $569 for airfare and hotel, depending on city or origin, destination, and class of hotel.

OnTheSnow.com (March 2002) Ted Heck

When the Alpine Tourist Commission invited me to join them on a press information tour to Kitzbühel and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, I thought about it for four seconds and said “yes.” So, I am currently in Germany visiting two of my favorite resorts. The trip is co-sponsored by the ATC, Austrian Tourist Office, German National Tourist Office, SkiEurope, and American Airlines.

I flipped when I got the final itinerary. Our group will be skiing In Kitzbühel with instructors from the famous Red Devils ski school for two days. Then we move to Garmisch for two more days of skiing, one of them atop the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain. It will be “Old Home Week” for me. It was there that I first stepped onto skis 56 years ago and got hooked. Click here for full story

OnTheSnow.com (March 2002) Ted Heck

SkiEurope, which has been sending Americans to 60 resorts in six countries for 17 years, works closely with the Alpine Tourist Commission and its member countries. Its staff, like Dorothea and Marlen, are multi-lingual.

Our group of writers on this trip was also accompanied by Sigrid Pilcher of the Austrian Tourist Office in New York, and Richard Rehindorf, of the German National Tourist Office, also in NYC. They are two young persons who made sure we didn’t miss a landmark, except when they were too far downhill to be heard. Click here for full story

Inside Tracks (15 March 2002)

SuperSki Weeks: Roundtrip air, ground transfers or rental car, and seven nights’ lodging in a three-star hotel with daily breakfast, in Zermatt (April 5, 12, 19 departures) from $938 pp/do; from $949 in St. Anton (April 6 departure); from $959 in Saas-Fee (April 12, 19 departures); from $969 in St. Moritz (April 12 departure); from $998 in Val d’Isére (April 5, 12, 19 departures); and from $1,048 in Chamonix (April 5, 12 departures). Lift tickets additional. SkiEurope, (800) 333-5533, www.ski-europe.com

Inside Tracks (1 March 2002)

Of the leading U.S. specialists in Alpine ski trips, we especially like SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com). Go to their SkiMatcher, answer a series of questions with a click (your interests, budget, ski ability, travel timeframe, etc.), and they’ll come up with some suggestions. If you think you know where you want to go, you can also click on destination information for phenomenally detailed information on 60 resorts in six countries. Want to know where to ski if you’re a beginning, intermediate, advanced or competition-level skier? Want the scoop on kids’ programs, rentals, cross-country skiing, sightseeing, dining, nightlife? That information is also just a click away. You can even sign up to receive SkiEurope’s e-mail newsletter for news and updates on the Alps.

The Palm Beach Post (13 January 2002) Everett Potter

For many skiers and snowboarders, a trip to the Arlberg region of Austria or to the French Alps is not merely a vacation. It’s more like a winter pilgrimage to the cradle of alpine sports.

“It’s not just skiing,” says Richard Davidson, president of SkiEurope, a Houston-based tour operator that specializes in European ski vacations. “You ski Europe because of the overall experience. It’s a combination of where you stay, the atmosphere and the access you have to different cultural and historic opportunities. . .If you compare apples and apples,” Davidson says, “in most cases it’s less expensive to go to Europe than to the Rockies.”

The National Ski Club Newsletter (January-February 2002) Richard Davidson

Skiers are a very resilient lot. Immediately following 9-11, almost 70% of skiers said they had not changed their plans to take at least one overnight trip during the season. Beginners and intermediates were the least confident and only 7% said they would not fly. My opinion is, if the key ingredient – good snowfall – is there, and if there are no further serious shocks, (two very big “ifs”) it will be a reasonably successful season.

Network (January-February 2002) Kerstin Sabene

According to Richard Davidson, (president of SkiEurope) SkiEurope has made a dedicated effort to identify travel agents who do sell ski packages as well as those agents who sell to Europe with the potential of becoming interested in winter vacation packages. However, he indicated the number of calls about skiing has decreased since the Internet with a higher portion of ski products being sold on the Internet. Davidson said that large portions of their bookings are now being sold via the Internet and that this figure has doubled every year for the last few years.

The Kansas City Star (6 January 2002) Anne Z. Cooke

…Most ski areas are no more challenging or dangerous than those at home, according to Dorothea Rasser, a spokeswoman for SkiEurope, a ski tour company based in Houston. Nor do language differences pose problems because most Europeans speak English.

“Americans have a psychological block about skiing the Alps,” says Rasser, who grew up in Austria. “American travelers aren’t as independent as Europeans. They worry about not being able to communicate, about having to share a bathroom with strangers, about ordering strange food. Really, our biggest challenge is convincing people to try it the first time.” Click here for full story

Ski Canada (Winter 2002) George Koch

Val d’Anniviers begins at Sierre, Canton Valais, Switzerland. Sierre is reachable by train or freeway from Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland’s two main airports. Val d’Anniviers is accessible by local bus from Sierre train station or by car. Skiing villages are Grimentz, St. Luc, Chandolin, Vercorin and Zinal. Air Canada has daily non-stop flights between Zurich and Toronto. For more information: To plan a complete European ski holiday, try SkiEurope, 800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com.

Inside Tracks (January 2002) Innsbruck, Austria

SuperSki Week: Roundtrip air from New York, ground transportation, seven nights at the four-star Hotel Sailer, daily breakfast and daily ski bus, $659 pp/do. Departure tax and lift pass are additional. (800-333-5533) or www.ski-europe.com. Departure dates: Jan. 12 and 25.

Travel & Leisure (January 2002) Meg Lukens Noonan

It generally costs less to fly from the East Coast to Europe in winter than to the Rockies; transatlantic fares this year should be even more affordable. Specialist agencies that buy in bulk from airlines and resorts are a good source for packages, which tend to include airfare, airport transfers, and one or two meals a day. A Kitzbühel package from SkiEurope (800-333-5533; www.ski-europe.com) includes seven nights in a four-star hotel, airfare, a rental car, and breakfast, and costs as little as $960 a person (all prices are subject to availability).

VisitEurope.com – Pressroom (14 December 2001)

Switzerland/Ski week roundtrip to Zurich, 7 hotel nights at choice of various resorts, buffet breakfasts. From $609 from New York. SkiEurope, 1-800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com.

OnTheSnow.com (20 December 2001) Mitch Kaplan

Interlaken, Switzerland: From Interlaken, in German-speaking Switzerland, you can ski at a whole variety of sites, including Grindelwald, Mürren and others. So, hop on board one of SkiEurope’s Interlaken deals, departing Jan. 19, Feb. 2, or March 16. For $579 per person you get roundtrip airfare from New York to Zurich, seven nights’ accommodation with continental breakfast in a three-star hotel, an economy rental car, and all local service charges and taxes. Other departure airports are available for additional fees. So, call them, ya? (800-333-5533)

Skiing (December 2001) Bevin Wallace

Austria’s Arlberg – the interconnected towns of St. Anton, St. Christolph, Stuben, Lech, and Zürs – has 84 lifts and over 260 kilometers of trails. In St. Anton, the Hotel Karl Schranz has relatively spacious rooms. Hotel Tannbergerhof is on Lech’s quaint main drag. SkiEurope offers packages (713-960-0900). Click here for full story.

About.com (December 2001) Elisabeth Osmeloski

Early fears of a slow ski travel season in the wake of September 11th are dissipating as determined skiers keep their confidence in the season and are continuing to make holiday reservations at local resorts or plan that dream ski vacation in Europe. Daniela Gugliotta, of Ski-Europe.com, says “despite the events of September, SkiEurope has seen an increase of 15% in the number of reservations, while we know that other tour operators are down in the number of bookings.” Click here for full story.

OntheSnow.com (14 December 2001) Mitch Kaplan

Andorra: You know about Andorra, of course. It’s that tiny speck of a country between Spain and France where everyone skis all winter long and lives happily ever after.

SkiEurope will take you there on Jan. 11 or Jan. 18 for $649 pp/do. This tiny price buys you round trip airfare from New York to Toulouse, an economy rental car, seven nights’ accommodation with continental buffet breakfast in a three-star hotel and all local service charges and taxes. Not from NYC? Other departure airports are available for an additional fee. For more information, call 1-800-333-5533. Click here for full story.

The Dallas Morning News (9 December 2001) Walt Roessing

Call a travel agent or contact Houston-based SkiEurope (1-800-333-5533; www.ski-europe.com). Two sample SuperSki Week prices in January through SkiEurope are $1,004 at Zermatt’s three-star Hotel Perren or $1,074 at three-star Hotel Antika. Prices include Dallas-to-Zurich airfare, rail transfers to Zermatt, seven nights of lodging, daily buffet breakfast, and all local service charges and taxes. Trains leave hourly from Zurich Airport, where you can check baggage to your Zermatt hotel.

OnTheSnow.com (December 2001) Ted Heck

“No matter what kind of skier you are, SkiEurope is the way to go…where dreams come in all shapes and sizes” is the essence of the ad by SkiEurope, a Houston-based tour operator.

President Richard Davidson, whom we talked to back in September after the “Attack on America,” says his firm has recovered from the fallout and is “back in a pretty good position” with its bookings.

A leader in sending winter vacationers to the Alps, SkiEurope (800-333-5533 or www.ski-europe.com) has added Andorra in the Pyrenees Mountains to its list of attractive destinations. Several hundred skiers and snowboarders from the Texas Ski Council are scheduled for a late January week in the tiny principality between France and Spain. Their hats and boots may set Texans apart, but natives won’t be fazed by language. Andorra has a high literacy rate and has long been a favorite of skiers from the United Kingdom, who speak their own brand of English. Click here for full story

New York Daily News (2 December 2001) Mila Andre

Advent in Interlaken, in the Swiss Alps, from $865 per person/double occupancy December 14-22. Includes round-trip air to Zurich, rental car for seven days, seven nights’ accommodations, hotel taxes/service charges, and breakfast. Information 800-333-5533 or www.ski-europe.com Click here for full story

JAXFAX (December 2001) Ted Heck

Even seasoned travelers admit there is something magical about crossing borders. They understand the excitement of skiers in Switzerland who can cruise from Swiss villages to resorts in other alpine countries of Austria, France and Italy.

For most skiers and snowboarders the quintessential difference between the Alps and, say, the Rockies is the “circus,” a vast complex of ski slopes, long runs and many lifts that lace together villages that are miles apart.

Tour operators: SkiEurope
Phone: 800-333-5533
Website: www.ski-europe.com

The New York Times (25 November 2001) Joseph Siano

Interlaken For those who prefer Alpine scenery, companion rates at the Swiss resort are being cut by half for three January departures from SkiEurope. The first person pays $870, the other $435. For that, each gets round-trip airfare on Continental from New York to Zurich, seven nights at the three-star Chalet Hotel Oberland, a rental car at the airport and daily breakfast buffet. (…) Trip dates are Jan.4 to 12, January 11 to 19 and Jan.18 to 26. Information: (800) 333-5533 or www.ski-europe.com.

The Miami Herald (25 November 2001)

Ski Europe is offering round-trip tickets and seven nights in Zurich, Switzerland, starting at $609 (from New York) per person. Information: 800-333-5533 or www.ski-europe.com. Click here for full article.

SKIPRESS USA (November 2001) Michael Kiefer

In Austria’s Arlberg the partying is as slick as the slopes The pistes above St.Anton in Austria’s Arlberg region are as crowded as the Long Island Expressway at rush hour. European skiers, like New Yorkers in traffic, watch the front of their skis and let everyone else worry about the backs.(…)

SkiEurope
2636 Yorktown #321, Houston, Texas 77056, USA
(713) 960-0900
Web: www.ski-europe.com

The Toronto Star (3 November 2001) Sue Lebrecht

The Arlberg Card, a five-area ski pass provides access to St.Anton, St.Christoph, Lech, Zürs and Stuben – the entire mountain region known as Arlberg. Packages to St.Anton are offered by Ski Europe 1-800 333-5533 (www.ski-europe.com)

Ski Magazine (November 2001) Lois Friedland

Skiers who receive the SkiEurope eZine got advance notice for SkiEurope’s popular Superski Weeks. Final pricing and dates for this winter were posted on Sept. 1, after this magazine went into print. It’s expected, however, that a week in Innsbruck, Austria, will cost about $499, a week in Innsbruck and Vienna will cost about $599, and a week in Andorra will cost about $599.

All packages include round-trip airfare economy class from New York, seven nights’ lodging, breakfast daily, and local service charges and taxes. Call 800-333-5533 for more information, or visit www.ski-europe.com.

Ski Canada (November 2001) George Koch

SkiEurope package including return airfare, return ground transfer, seven nights’ hotel accommodations including breakfast and dinner, $1,728 Toronto departure, $1,938 Vancouver departure, airline taxes extra. Six-day ski pass for Aosta Valley, $220 (155 euros); other pass options offer selected days at Verbier and Chamonix. More Information: SkiEurope, 800-333-5533, www.ski-europe.com.

Ski Canada (November 2001) George Koch

Several tour operators offer St. Moritz packages including SkiEurope (800-333-5533 or www.ski-europe.com). Return airfare, transfers and seven nights’ accommodation in a three-star hotel, including breakfast and dinner daily, $2,028 Toronto departure, $2,128 Vancouver departure, air taxes extra. A six-day lift pass for entire region is approximately $290.

Ski Magazine (November 2001) Andy Bigford

A great deal: SkiEurope has put together a $1,098 package just for SKI readers for January 16-27, 2002. It includes round trip airfare from New York to Munich on Lufthansa/United Airlines, three nights with breakfast in a three-star hotel in Innsbruck, seven nights in Saalbach-Hinterglemm with breakfast, plus dinner in a four-star hotel, ten days economy rental car, local services and taxes. Other departure airports are available for an additional fee. For more information, call 800-333-5533, or visit www.ski-europe.com.

Ski Magazine (November 2001) Joe Cutts i

A great deal: SkiEurope (800-333-5533; www.ski-europe.com) offers a $998 package (Jan. 19-29) that includes round trip airfare from New York to Venice on Lufthansa/United Airlines, round trip transfers from Venice to Cortina, seven nights, with breakfast, in a three-star hotel in Cortina, three nights with continental buffet breakfast in a three-star hotel in Venice, but not lifts.

Ski Canada (November 2001) Patrick Thorne

www.ski-europe.com
Find your dream partner! Yes, it’s a tour op site but its top 50 Euro resort content is better than most. Particularly endearing is the selection of costly resort videos which can be accessed at a variety of downloading speeds. There’s also a groovy “SkiMatcher” service that takes your personal details and tells you which ski areas are for you. Of course, it doesn’t ask your star sign so the results must be treated with skepticism.

Travel Holiday (November 2001) Ralph DiGennarok

Any worthwhile sojourn in the snow would have to blaze a trail through the Rockies as well as the Alps, particularly Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and France. For snow enthusiasts, the mountains alone are awe-inspiring, to say nothing of the scenic downhill runs that are at once open and wide, arching along mountain contours above picturesque tree lines. SkiEurope. Call 1-800-333-5533 or visit online at www.ski-europe.com.

EyeForTravel.com (2 November 2001)

The SkiMatcher engine references a knowledge base of detailed information on the top 100 North American and European winter vacation destinations. Each resort has been independently reviewed and evaluated on 50 different criteria. SkiMatcher provides users with personalized recommendations, based on winter vacationer preferences such as favorite winter sports activities, slopes difficulty, weather preferences, travel time from departure city and more 50 other criteria supported by in-depth destination information. www.ski-europe.com. Click here for full story

Travel Agent Magazine (22 October 2001) Jennifer Coleman

Austria: The four-star Hotel Schwarzer Adler in Kitzbühel offers a package that costs $1,338 per person double Feb. 1-9. It includes roundtrip air from New York to Munich, roundtrip transfers, transfers to Kitzbühel by shuttle bus, seven nights’ accommodations with buffet breakfast, and all local service charges and taxes. The price does not include airport taxes and fees. Couples will enjoy cozying up in the lobby by the fire or spending time in the pools and hot tub after a day on the nearby ski slopes. Kitzbühel offers lively nightlife, including dance clubs and bars. Call 800-333-5533 or visit www.ski-europe.com.

Switzerland: The Romantik Hotel Julen in Zermatt is offering a seven-night package priced at $1,649 per person double valid Feb. 1-9. Included are roundtrip air from New York to Geneva, transfers by Swiss Rail to the hotel, seven nights’ accommodations with buffet breakfast, and all local service charges and taxes. Airport taxes and fees are not included. There in an onsite spa, and skiing is nearby. Call 800-333-5533 or visit www.ski-europe.com.

OnTheSnow.com (9 October 2001) Ted Heck

Report From SkiEurope. Richard Davidson is head of SkiEurope, a major tour operator based in Houston that is leading in sending skiers to the continent. He says the group side of his business has been stable. In fact, several new groups made their travel arrangements after the New York and Washington disasters. There initially was a precipitous drop in interest among individual travelers, but since then there has been a measurable change in confidence. Click here for full story

Snow24 (12 September 2001) Patrick Thorne

ski-europe.com – This is a Tour Operator site but its resort content is better than most enthusiast/publisher sites – so long as you’re wanting to find out about 50 Top European resorts. Particularly endearing is the selection of resort videos which you can access at a variety of speed according to your connection.

skimaps.com – Started as a college site attracting enthusiasts to send int their maps from all over the world.

Individual.com (11 September 2001)

Ski-Europe’s sale to Interlaken covers departures January 19, February 2 and March 16. Add-ons are available from other cities including Chicago ($50 more), Dallas ($105 more) and Atlanta ($70 more). Second best value is not actually in the Alps, it’s a ski vacation in Andorra. Huh, where? Well, Andorra is a teeny, tiny Roman Catholic principality wedged between France and Spain. There’s not much there, besides duty free shopping and mountains, mountains and more mountains. But it’s known for having the best skiing in the Pyrenees, and you can really call yourself a world traveler once you’ve been to a place as obscure as Andorra. If you’d like to get in on the action, a week-long stay can be yours for just $649 including airfare from New York city to Toulouse, France on January 11 and 18. Click here for full story.

Gemütlichkeit (September 2001) Robert Bestor

Gemütlichkeit recommends SkiEurope’s 2002 SuperSki Weeks packages for both skiers and non-skiers. This year’s program offers Alpine packages priced at from $499 to $1159 per person, 17 destinations are $799 or less. The arrangement includes airfare, seven nights hotel with breakfast, and a one-week rental car.

SkiEurope is a reliable, U.S.-owned company that has marketed package vacations to European ski destinations for at least 15 years. The firm’s president, Richard Davidson, has been a Gemütlichkeit subscriber since 1998.

For reservations and information, go to:
www.ski-europe.com/superski/search.php or call 800-333-5533.
To receive SkiEurope’s free email newsletter go to: www.skieuropereport.com

Travel Weekly ( 3 September 2001)

Europe offers a change of scene for skiers familiar with the slopes of North America. The following information can help clients determine if a European destination is for them:

· Most European ski packages include air, accommodations, airport transfers and daily breakfast.
· Not usually included are equipment rental, ski instruction and lift tickets.
· Alpine resorts feature open slopes above the timberline rather than groomed trails within woodland areas.
· Slopes are marked for difficulty, traffic and hazards and edges.
· Even World Cup-class resorts such as Kitzbuhel in Austria and Val D’Isere in France devote 35% to 60% of their ski space to beginners and intermediates.
· European ski schools produce professional instructors who must take two foreign languages as part of their training.
· Resort maps and brochures generally have English versions; outdoor signs are multilingual (English, French, German and Italian) or pictorial.
· Average daytime temperatures in the Alps for December, January and February range from the 20s into the 30s (Fahrenheit).
· Elevations at major Alpine resorts range from 1,880 feet at Innsbruck, Austria, to 5,650 feet at Zurs, Switzerland as compared to upwards of 7,000 feet at many Rocky Mountain resorts (about 9,000 feet at Winter Park, Colorado.)

Source: SkiEurope, (800)333-5533, (713)960-0900; fax (713-960-8966; www.ski-europe.com; travel@ski-europe.com

USA Today (8 August 2001) Emery P. D’Alesio

The resorts recognize that summer skiing business is gravy, so they tend to offer fresh-air alternatives. Almost all offer some combination of mountain biking, whitewater rafting, horseback riding or swimming. There’s also sunny Alpine meadows to hike. On the Net: Ski Europe: https://www.ski-europe.com Click here for full story

Inside1to1 (2 July 2001) Martha Rogers Ph.D.

Helping Customers Help Themselves
Houston, TX-based SkiEurope uses TripleHop’s recommendation technology to manage the avalanche of inquiries its agents receive from visitors to its Web site. According to Managing Director Richard Davidson, SkiEurope desperately needed a tool to help guide online customers through the decision-making process, without human assistance. “We needed to codify what our staff knows into a knowledgebase, and help people come to us with part of the decision-making process already made,” says Davidson.

Using TripleHop, SkiEurope created SkiMatcher, a matching engine that offers personalized recommendations based on information collected from its Web site visitors. Skimatcher makes targeted suggestions by processing three levels of visitor data: By preferences explicitly stated by the visitor (such as fine dining or night skiing), by behavior (e.g. where the visitor browses and what actions she takes after entering her profile), and by context (like weather data or travel times). Since launching SkiMatcher last year, SkiEurope has seen ROI that would have Olympic-medalist Picabo Street reaching for her Chapstick: Site visitors using the matching engine are 70 percent more likely to purchase vacation packages than those that don’t. “And customer feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable,” adds Davidson. In fact, when the site was tested on a select group of frequent customers, SkiEurope heard some encouraging responses such as, “After I ran my request through, [SkiMatcher] said, Go to ‘Schladming’ — but I just booked that with you a week ago!”

What’s the next one-to-one mountain for SkiEurope? Davidson says the tour operator is exploring capabilities for agents that include real-time text chat, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and the ability to push Web pages. But he finds the progress made so far encouraging. “We don’t think there’s any substitute for one-on-one conversation, but if SkiMatcher can automate 50-70 percent of the time and work involved,” says Davidson, “that leads to a more intelligent conversation, which is good for us, and good for our customers.” Which is very cool news for everyone involved. Click here for full story

HSMAI Marketing Review (July 2001) Roland Leiser

Further, agents should be experts in countries that share borders “because being a generalist may spell disaster,” Richard Davidson, a Switzerland Tourism board member and SkiEurope president, remarks.