SkiMatcher (www.SkiMatcher.com) has proven itself to be a powerful selling tool for both travel and sports Web sites through an innovative combination of technology and content. This new selling tool is driven by a specialized version of TripMatcher recommendation software developed by TripleHop Technologies in collaboration with SkiEurope, using artificial intelligence to advise travelers on destinations that best meet their requirements and preferences.

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 than 50 other criteria supported by in-depth destination information.

�SkiMatcher allows our users to specify their needs and the system responds with the top resorts matching their selection,� says Kathleen Tucker, president and CEO of The Independent Traveler Inc. (www.independenttraveler.com). �It is the perfect tool to help our users research and plan their perfect winter vacation.�

Users can also request travel proposals and quotations directly from SkiMatcher. Requests are fulfilled by leading specialist tour operators, some of whom have experienced a 70 percent increase in conversion of visitors-to-requesters ratios.

Kristine Gore, associate vice president for Frommers.com (www.frommers.com) commented, �The content provided by SkiMatcher is second-to-none. We are currently using it as the baseline for our Ski channel and believe that this is the best tool for our users as they plan and book their ski vacations both internationally and domestically.�

Yahoo! Sports, one of the most trafficked sports sites on the Internet, incorporates SkiEurope's content and resort trailmaps as part of a weekly �Resort Spotlight� feature on the front page of its Ski and Snow area.

Travel and recreation Web site partners can have SkiMatcher running on their site in less than a week in a manner that allows the partner to maintain its customer relationship through a consistent look-and-feel. Implementation is fast and easy.

AlpsEurope (www.alpseurope.org), one of the largest European travel sites, recently implemented SkiMatcher to its system. �We love both the technology and the content,� says Urs Eberhard, president of the Alpine Tourism Commission. �We are offering SkiMatcher from our main page, using snippets of content in different areas of our site, and linking to specific areas within its system to provide specific resort information.�

About SkiEurope
SkiEurope (www.ski-europe.com), a division of Ski Marketing Corporation, is North America's leading tour operator specializing exclusively in European winter vacations. SkiEurope's client base includes ski clubs, private groups, corporate departments, travel agents, and individual skiers. Currently, with the exception of repeat clients and their referrals, SkiEurope's business originates entirely through the Internet. Interactive Week Magazine recently ranked SkiEurope number 366 among the top Interactive 500 companies in eCommerce. SkiEurope is a member of the major travel and ski trade associations including the National Tour Association, and actively sponsors initiatives to increase winter sports participation. SkiEurope is based in Houston, Texas.

Contact:
SkiEurope, Houston
Daniela Gugliotta, 713/960-0900 Ext.205
daniela@ski-europe.com or
TripleHop Technologies, New York
Matt Turck, 212/243-4645 Ext.401
matt@triplehop.com|