Snow Industry News: Deer Valley Resort Named Best U.S. Ski Resort 2020 By World Ski Awards

Sat 21 November 2020

Deer Valley Resort upholds the distinguished title of Best United States’ Ski Resort 2020 by this year’s World Ski Awards for the eighth year in a row. Award winners were virtually unveiled on worldskiawards.com on Friday, November 20, the organization’s inaugural WSA Winners Day.

Despite the incredible challenges faced by the tourism industry over the course of 2020, this year’s World Ski Awards program saw a record number of votes from ski tourism consumers, while the organization’s website continues to receive more search traffic than in any previous year. Out of 18 U.S. nominees, Deer Valley was voted the winner of the industry’s coveted award.

“We are incredibly proud to receive this exceptional recognition from World Ski Awards,” said Jeremy Levitt, Deer Valley Resort President. “We are grateful for all those who cast their vote for Deer Valley, and we look forward to serving them on the slopes this winter season.”

The virtual WSA Winners Day replaces the annual World Travel Awards Gala Ceremony held in Kitzbühel this year to provide a safe, yet vital, platform to celebrate this year’s winners.

World Ski Awards is the sister organization of World Travel Awards, currently celebrating its 27th anniversary. Winners include Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, voted ‘World’s Best Ski Resort’, thanks to its winning combination of snowsure pistes and extensive slopeside accommodation.

• Sleek urban design amid a spectacular alpine helped Switzerland’s W Verbier to capture ‘World’s Best Ski Hotel’, whilst Chalet Zermatt Peak, sitting in the shadow of the majestic Matterhorn, claimed ‘World’s Best Ski Chalet’.
• New arrival on Japan’s luxury ski hospitality scene, Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, took ‘World’s Best New Ski Hotel’. Meanwhile the divine opulence of Verbier’s Chalet Marmottière was acknowledged with the newcomer accolade for ‘World’s Best New Ski Chalet’.
• Switzerland’s LAAX, home to deep powder and the world’s biggest halfpipe, was named ‘World’s Best Freestyle Resort’. Ski Dubai picked up ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort’ and Austria’s sumptuous Aurelio Lech collected ‘World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel’.

The results follow a year-long search for the world’s leading ski travel, tourism and hospitality brands. Votes were cast by ski industry professionals and ski consumers, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named the winner.

Sion Rapson, Managing Director, World Ski Awards, says: “Our winners represent the very best of the global ski travel and tourism sector and my congratulations to each of them. They have all demonstrated remarkable resilience in a year of unprecedented challenges.”

He adds: “The World Ski Awards 2020 programme received a record number of votes cast by the public. This shows that the appetite for booking a ski holiday has never been stronger and bodes well for the industry as the global recovery begins.”

Triumphant ski travel providers include Leo Trippi (‘World’s Best Ski Travel Agent’); TUI (‘World’s Best Ski Tour Operator’); and Schneebeben (‘World’s Best Ski Transfer Operator’).

Other winners include Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel (‘World’s Best Ski Resort Company); Valsana Hotel & Appartements, Switzerland (‘World’s Best Green Ski Hotel’); and Bella Coola Heli Sports, Canada (‘World’s Best Heli-Ski Operator’).