Vail Resorts Announces Returning & New Strategic Partners

Vail Resorts, the leading global mountain resort operator, has announced renewals of strategic partnerships with eight iconic and innovative companies-including PepsiCo, GMC, and Helly Hansen as well as a new partnership with the premier sports equipment shipping service Luggage Forward. With the 2020/21 ski season underway, these brands will help provide an enhanced experience for skiers and riders headed to the mountains this winter.

'Each of our corporate partners offer a wide variety of unique products and services, but one thing they have in common is their commitment to help deliver on Vail Resorts' mission to create the Experience of a Lifetime for our guests,' said Kirsten Lynch, EVP and chief marketing officer at Vail Resorts. 'This year things may look somewhat different due to updated safety protocols at our resorts, but the joy that comes with skiing and riding remains the same. We're looking forward to a successful season, made even better thanks to these essential partnerships.'

During the 2020/21 winter season and beyond, Vail Resorts is proud to have strategic alliances with 20 companies as official partners. Those new and renewed during the last six months include:

• Luggage Forward: (New for 2020/21) By utilizing Luggage Forward to ship luggage, skis and snowboards ahead of travel, Vail Resorts guests can avoid carrying and checking bags at the airport. Roundtrip shipping can be arranged from guests' home locations to anywhere the guest is staying, including iconic RockResorts properties like The Arrabelle at Vail Square (Vail), The Pines Lodge (Beaver Creek), One Ski Hill Place (Breckenridge) and The Grand Summit Hotel (Park City), as well as other lodging destinations across the company's North American resorts. Full press release.
• PepsiCo: (Expanded for 2020/21) Vail Resorts and PepsiCo recently announced an expansion of their product distribution partnership to 33 total resorts globally. Through a multi-year sustainability roadmap, the companies will focus on waste reduction and creative upcycling projects, among other initiatives. This season the companies will partner with international recycling leader TerraCycle to create picnic tables and Adirondack chairs out of recycled snack and candy wrappers at five Vail Resorts locations. Full press release.
• GMC: Guests at Vail Resorts' locations are provided with an exceptional GMC brand experience, including a complimentary vehicle transportation program at premier lodging properties. Those staying at The Arrabelle, The Lodge at Vail, The Osprey at Beaver Creek, The Pines Lodge, One Ski Hill Place, Grand Summit Hotel, Vail Marriott, DoubleTree Breckenridge and Keystone Lodge & Spa can enjoy in-town transportation with first class amenities in the Yukon XL Denali. In addition, GMC helps skiers and riders experience more on-mountain with the latest version of the EpicMix app, driven by GMC. EpicMix now provides an enhanced on-mountain experience for guests including interactive trail maps with GPS location tracking, lift line wait times and real-time grooming updates-as well as information on resort safety, resort alerts and operational updates. Also, at Whistler Blackcomb, GMC Canada will be enhancing the guest experience by inviting them to participate in friendly races at the GMC Race Center all winter long.
• TELUS: As the official Telecommunications partner of Whistler Blackcomb for 17 years, TELUS offers Free Wi-Fi across the property to ensure guests can stay connected while experiencing the world-class resort. This year Whistler Blackcomb has made a significant investment in order to extend TELUS' world-leading network even further, enabling a faster, more widespread connection wherever guests find themselves on the mountain.
• Helly Hansen: An Experience of a Lifetime for guests would not be possible without providing an Experience of a Lifetime for employees. Helly Hansen develops professional-grade gear for people living and working in some of the world's toughest environments. As such, Helly Hansen is the official uniform for Vail Resorts' U.S. employees and provides essential support to on-mountain staff.
• Eco-Products: Vail Resorts' partnership with Eco-Products is crucial to reaching zero waste to landfill, one pillar of the company's Commitment to Zero goal to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030. Vail Resorts is eliminating all single-use, guest-facing conventional plastic products across its resorts, and Eco-Products ensures all disposable food and beverage items like cups, utensils, grab-and-go containers are plant-based products that align with regional waste streams
• GoPro: GoPro is the exclusive camera of Vail Resorts. This season-with the improved battery life in colder weather, GoPro's newest product, the Hero9, will help guests capture life on the slopes and digitally share it with friends.
• Icebreaker: As the official base layer and sock provider of Whistler Blackcomb, Icebreaker is a natural-based apparel company that brings the warmth, comfort and style of natural merino-fibers to the slopes and resort visitors. The company outfits the resort's Guest Relations, Snow School Sales and Summer Patrol teams-keeping them warm and comfortable year-round.
• Arterra Wines Canada: Arterra Wines is a longstanding marketing partner at Whistler Blackcomb and has supported the local Peak to Valley race for a number of years. The company has a wide portfolio of products to choose from at the resort-and, in the past five years, has received over 1,500 accolades and awards in national and international wine competitions.