DEATH VALLEY’S FURNACE CREEK INN BECKONING FEWER VISITORS THIS FALL AND WINTER – AT LEAST SO FAR
For Immediate Release
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, June 22, 2009 – Last year at this time, the luxurious Furnace Creek Inn in Death Valley National Park was already sold out on many days in late October and early November, but this year there are fewer sold-out days during that timeframe. The resort is experiencing the same trend as many hotels nationwide – a considerably shorter booking window. And that is good news for travelers because they have a better chance of finding rooms in high-demand properties like the Inn than they have had in many years.
“Economic concerns have prompted travelers to wait longer than usual to finalize their vacation plans,” said Phil Dickinson, director of sales and marketing for the Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort. “Although we expect our occupancy to ultimately be on par with previous years, there is still plenty of room at the Inn right now.” The 66-room inn is typically sold out on many days between late October and March, said Dickinson.
Concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts, has seen the same trend at properties in other national parks, including Yellowstone, Zion and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Although visitors can book rooms up to 13 months in advance in those locations, few are doing so this year. And that is a huge departure from travel patterns at national park lodges just a few years ago.
“It used to be quite common for travelers to book their national park vacations a year in advance of their travel so they could be sure to get their pick of rooms, particularly at smaller, high-demand lodges like the Furnace Creek Inn,” said Dickinson. “At least this year, that pattern has turned upside down.”
Fall and early winter is a particularly popular time to visit the desert property because the temperatures are relatively mild. The Furnace Creek Inn reopens on Oct. 9 after a summer hiatus. The historic inn closes for the season in mid-May. The Furnace Creek Ranch is open year-round.
In addition to the Furnace Creek Inn, Xanterra operates the 224-room Furnace Creek Ranch, 83-room Stovepipe Wells Village, 18-hole Furnace Creek Golf Course, three restaurants, a saloon, general store, two spring-fed swimming pools, tennis courts, conference and banquet facilities, a 3,000-foot airstrip, the Borax Museum and a service station. For more information about facilities in Death Valley National Park or to make reservations at in-park lodges, call toll free at 1-800-236-7916 or 1-303-297-2757 or go to www.furnacecreekresort.com.
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“Economic concerns have prompted travelers to wait longer than usual to finalize their vacation plans,” said Phil Dickinson, director of sales and marketing for the Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort. “Although we expect our occupancy to ultimately be on par with previous years, there is still plenty of room at the Inn right now.” The 66-room inn is typically sold out on many days between late October and March, said Dickinson.
Concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts, has seen the same trend at properties in other national parks, including Yellowstone, Zion and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Although visitors can book rooms up to 13 months in advance in those locations, few are doing so this year. And that is a huge departure from travel patterns at national park lodges just a few years ago.
“It used to be quite common for travelers to book their national park vacations a year in advance of their travel so they could be sure to get their pick of rooms, particularly at smaller, high-demand lodges like the Furnace Creek Inn,” said Dickinson. “At least this year, that pattern has turned upside down.”
Fall and early winter is a particularly popular time to visit the desert property because the temperatures are relatively mild. The Furnace Creek Inn reopens on Oct. 9 after a summer hiatus. The historic inn closes for the season in mid-May. The Furnace Creek Ranch is open year-round.
In addition to the Furnace Creek Inn, Xanterra operates the 224-room Furnace Creek Ranch, 83-room Stovepipe Wells Village, 18-hole Furnace Creek Golf Course, three restaurants, a saloon, general store, two spring-fed swimming pools, tennis courts, conference and banquet facilities, a 3,000-foot airstrip, the Borax Museum and a service station. For more information about facilities in Death Valley National Park or to make reservations at in-park lodges, call toll free at 1-800-236-7916 or 1-303-297-2757 or go to www.furnacecreekresort.com.
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Xanterra Parks & Resorts® (consisting of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. and Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C.) operates lodges, restaurants and other concessions at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra Parks & Resorts is the country’s largest park concessioner. Xanterra operates concessions in the following locations: Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial; and at the Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif.; and eight Ohio State Parks. Its affiliate Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C. operates concessions at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Xanterra also operates the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Ariz.
Long committed to the preservation and protection of the environment, Ecologix, Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ environmental program, includes a variety of proactive environmental stewardship programs in each location. Xanterra has been repeatedly recognized for its environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
Long committed to the preservation and protection of the environment, Ecologix, Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ environmental program, includes a variety of proactive environmental stewardship programs in each location. Xanterra has been repeatedly recognized for its environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
For more information about Xanterra, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit www.xanterra.com.
Media contact:
(1) 720-842-5271
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