According to Zagat Survey, the economic downturn, accompanied by a decline in business travel, may have an upside for leisure travelers: hotels are responding by dropping rates, ramping up promotions and negotiating deals. Zagat’s 2009 U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas survey released today, also shows great progress in the industry, with numerous major renovations and [...]

The region’s rental market appears to be benefiting from the nationwide housing slump. With fewer folks moving into a place of their own, demand for rentals is high and landlords are reaping the benefits.
More tough times may be on the horizon for the nation’s housing market. But as the credit crunch deepens and mortgage defaults [...]

Vermonters involved in the travel industry say they’re relieved that the federal government has eased some of the regulations requiring use of passports, at least for now.
The temporary relief came as waiting times for passports grew longer and longer and many Vermonters connected to the travel industry were reaching their breaking point.
The changes allow travelers [...]

Park City-based American Skiing Co. has sold its last resorts outside of Utah - Sunday River and Sugarloaf/USA in Maine - to Boyne USA, Inc. for $77 million.
The debt-strapped company, whose lone remaining resort is The Canyons outside of Park City, now has raised $499 million since the beginning of [...]

The ski resort-ownership merry-go-round continues, with Park City-based Powdr Corp. selling one of its California resorts less than two months after acquiring an interest in two Vermont ski areas.
Powdr Corp. sold Alpine Meadows, one of the “Big Seven Resorts” represented by Ski Lake Tahoe, to JMA Ventures, a real estate investment [...]

Three of New England’s oldest real estate firms merged Wedneday.
Lang Associates, McLaughry Real Estate and Paul Spera Company have formed the largest real estate company in Vermont and third largest in New England.
The new firm will go by the name Lang, McLaughry, Spera.

Brian Rogers and other members of his church group basked in their perfect timing — a rare snowfall combined with a nonexistent midweek crowd that turned Winterplace Ski Resort into their personal playground.
The signs of a dismal season were sprinkled throughout this southern West Virginia resort. Plenty of parking, plenty of elbow room on the [...]

To that end, snow enthusiasts will find much to keep them happy this season. The average age on the slopes retreated slightly, to 35 years old last winter, so expect more amenities that grab the interest of Generation Y (and beyond): challenging terrain, terrain parks and even more hotels aimed at the young and the [...]

Corrections Corporation of America , the nation’s largest provider of corrections management services to government agencies, announced today that Bent County, Colorado has entered into an agreement to house Colorado male inmates at the Company’s North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre, Oklahoma under an Inter-Governmental Service Agreement between the County and State of Colorado Department [...]

Canadian resort operator Intrawest Corp. has moved to add to its stable of North American ski areas, agreeing to buy Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp. from American Skiing Co. for $265 million in cash.
The acquisition, subject to regulatory approval because of antitrust issues, would increase Intrawest’s Colorado holdings to three and overall resorts to [...]

American Skiing Co. , the Park City, Utah, company that owns Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., said Tuesday it has reached an agreement to sell the resort for $265 million.
The buyer is Steamboat Acquisition Corp., an affiliate of Vancouver’s Intrawest ULC. American Skiing announced in July it was looking at strategic options for the [...]

On Saturday, Stowe Mountain Resort will unveil a new transfer gondola – with a little help from Vermont Governor Jim Douglas.
The Governor will be on hand to inaugurate the ski resort’s new “Over Easy” gondola, which will unite Spruce Peak with ski terrain on Mt. Mansfield. The new lift is a Poma ten-person standing gondola [...]