Ohio Travel Industry Releases

Plan Now for Affordable Family Reunions at Ohio State Park Resorts
Resort's popular reunion package allows families to plant a 'Family Tree' in Ohio State Parks
11/18/2008

CONTACT:
Mona Mesereau
(720) 842-5271
mona_mesereau@msn.com

OHIO STATE PARK RESORTS, Ohio (Nov. 18, 2008) – Extended family groups hoping to enjoy a multi-family vacation next year should begin making plans now, and the first decision to make is to choose the destination. Ohio State Park Resorts operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts are located throughout the state of Ohio and are within an easy drive of all of Ohio’s major airports as well as major metropolitan areas throughout the Midwest.

Groups booking 15 or more lodge rooms or 15 cabins for two or more consecutive nights are eligible for the popular "Family Tree" program at all seven resorts. The package includes a tree – donated by Xanterra – to be planted by the family group. A member of the Xanterra staff will take a digital photo of the family and send the photo along with the tree's GPS coordinates by e-mail to all of the participants. Returning guests can use those coordinates to return to the tree and observe its progress year after year. Families staying between May and October also receive a family bonfire with complimentary s'mores, a family-favorite campfire dessert. During the cold-weather season from November through April, family groups will receive a private movie night with popcorn. Plus, the family reunion planner will receive a resort T-shirt and discounted room rate.

Each resort’s sales staff helps family groups choose accommodations, activities and group meals, including family-friendly buffets as well as elegant sit-down meals in private dining rooms. Planners can also set up group hikes with naturalists, children’s games and special family events such as geocaching trips into the woods or golf tournaments.

"Each family has a different style, and it is our job to help a family create a reunion that will result in long-lasting memories for everyone in the family," said Dianna Rom, regional director of sales for Ohio State Park Resorts. "Our resorts are not cookie-cutter, and we don’t think family reunions should be cookie-cutter either. Our experienced sales staff is happy to assist family groups plan any event or activity."

Rom said Ohio State Park Resorts are likely to be particularly popular this year because they are both affordable and accessible. Xanterra operates lodges at Burr Oak, Maumee Bay, Salt Fork, Mohican, Hueston Woods, Punderson Manor and Shawnee State Park Resorts. The resorts offer a lineup of activities that includes swimming, tennis and basketball, boating, fishing and hiking, volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, playgrounds, game rooms and more. Banquet rooms are also available for private meals. Special children’s activities such as supervised crafts and water games are available at most resorts during the summer.

To make arrangements for a family reunion, call (888) 275-5017 or send an e-mail to sales-aap@xanterra.com.

Complete information about the facilities at each of the seven Ohio State Park Resorts operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts is available online at www.atapark.com or by calling (800) AT-A-PARK (800-282-7275). Xanterra also operates the marina and facilities at Geneva Marina State Park in Geneva-on-the-Lake in northeastern Ohio.

###

About Xanterra Parks & Resorts
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.

For more information about Xanterra, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit www.xanterra.com.