SAM Magazine-Boulder, Colo., Feb. 28, 200-Smith Travel Research, Inc. (STR) has acquired Boulder-based RRC Associates. The combination, according to STR head Randy Smith, substantially extends the range of professional and strategic services now offered under the STR umbrella. "We are very excited about the incredible opportunities to assist our existing lodging and ski resort clients who previously were unable to access the breadth of data, information and knowledge from a single source," he said.

Both companies will continue to operate under their unique corporate identities, out of their respective locations, and continue to provide established professional and data services. RRC expects to gradually increase its staffing within the Boulder office as a result of this acquisition. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

In a statement, Nolan Rosall and Chris Cares, founding partners of RRC Associates, said, "The combination of our respective information sources and expertise will allow RRC to better serve our clients and provide a more complete perspective and understanding our clients' competitive environments." \