STOWE, Vt. -— Sterling Valley Systems, Inc., a corporation formed this month by a group of former inntopia.com employees, announced today that it has acquired the physical assets and intellectual property associated with the inntopia.com travel technology platform from San Francisco-based Unexplored, Inc. Unexplored acquired inntopia.com, Inc. in December of 1999.

The agreement will return the inntopia network to its founders and certain key managers. The same management group successfully operated the inntopia division under Unexplored's ownership.

With booking numbers on the rise, feature enhancements installed, and a slimmed down operating staff, the new company expects profitability by the end of the summer.

Trevor Crist, co-founder of the former inntopia.com, Inc. and president of Sterling Valley Systems, Inc., exclaimed "It is extremely encouraging that not only do we have the support of a great team of Stowe-based employees, but also that some of our customers have offered to invest in our new company. I have always believed in the Inntopia product and I think the overwhelming support of both our employees and customers shows our emphatic commitment to the business, as well as our staying power in this industry."

Sterling Valley Systems will continue to support inntopia's current client base and build upon the current technology to continue offering industry leading online reservations solutions. Under the terms of the agreement, Sterling Valley Systems acquired inntopia-related intellectual property, including all rights to the inntopia technology platform, name, and customer list, as well as certain key physical assets.

Unexplored, Inc. sold the inntopia assets to Sterling Valley Systems, Inc. in order to continue its focus on enterprise software applications. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Sterling Valley Systems, Inc.

Sterling Valley Systems, Inc. is a corporation that was formed in order to acquire certain assets of Unexplored, Inc., which are pertinent to the inntopia travel technology platform. It will continue to operate the inntopia brand.

About inntopia

inntopia is a leading-edge travel technology platform for the destination, leisure and specialty travel industries. The system offers independent lodging properties and affiliate partners a cost-effective, comprehensive and easy-to-use system to facilitate the sales and inventory management processes online.

The inntopia global room-reservations network creates an unmatched opportunity for inns, hotels, and bed and breakfasts to increase sales by marketing available inventory, while providing consumers with a real-time tool for locating and booking quality accommodations throughout the world.

inntopia provides a comprehensive travel solution through "online destination marketing," which allows a lodging property to market its rooms through affiliate web sites featuring the area in which it is located and allows the consumer to purchase a wide range of travel products and services.

Marcy Nisenholtz Andrus
Two Dogs Marketing
802-635-7700
Inntopia