Kelley's out this week "faming" in Georgia, post Travel South. So while she's basking in Southern Hospitality, I'm pinch hitting here in Chicago.

Not to complain, I was in the Rocky Mountains this past weekend doing a little skiing and scouting around for our Midwest Skier publication. Having spent a few days in Vail and witnessing first-hand their $1 billion eco-friendly "Ever Vail" expansion, they are certainly raising the bar for the ski industry.

InSite's chock full this week! Our lead story is on Northern Indiana’s Amish Country, truly one of my favorite vacation spots. If you've not taken a group to Amish Country, this will surely whet your appetite. Elana Andersen details some of the trends that are shaping the 'Girlfriend Getaway' market, and although Kelley's not here in person, she chimes in with a report from Travel South. We've included a survey in this week's edition to help you find out what your market wants and needs are. All participants are eligible for a prize give-away.

Speaking of prizes, there's still time to win two tickets in aboard Southwest Airlines in our Reader Info Center contest.

Enjoy this week's InSite.

Jeff Gayduk
Publisher

From a scenic stop-over to a multi-day stay, you can't beat the beauty and bounty of Amish Country in Northern Indiana. This easy-to-reach destination one of the most popular for groups in the Midwest is home to the third largest Amish settlement in the country and has a wealth of experiences and attractions for group travelers. Choose from a variety of group-friendly, themed itineraries including:

For 2007, we bring you a more in-depth look at U.S. destinations west of the Mississippi. This first edition of the year concentrates on the Southwestern states. Read along as we report on the pueblos of New Mexico, the arts of Arizona and some pigskin in Reno for those of us mourning the end of football season.

It's Tuesday morning and I'm nursing too little sleep (ahem) in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center coffee shop. Louisiana's festivities last night were a lot of fun and the Elvis impersonator at the Mardi Gras party got better and better as the night went on.

This is my second Travel South in a row and, though there was more to do last year for the media, Myrtle Beach has by far benefited from the weather.

Not one to remain stagnant, the cruise industry continues to grow aggressively with new ships on the horizon. The expansion slated to occur over the next few years is not just within the mass and premium market cruise lines, nor is it just a test to see who can build the largest ship. Instead, cruise passengers are going to see growth in all areas, from new classes of ships to enhancements and additions to existing ones.

Do you remember your first real girlfriends' getaway? If you are a woman of a certain age, you will recall the time when doing something as "bizarre" as going out of town with a bunch of gals and doing things other than having lunch, shopping or to see a show was cause for concern.

One of my early girlfriend getaways was with a group of work-related pals who got together annually at a tourism conference. We all did a lot of traveling for business and, over cocktails, we pondered a perfect vacation that wasn't designed around business, spouses or kids. Before we knew it, we had made plans for our first of many getaways: houseboating for five days. I'll spare you the details of our trip including the "what we will not do on this vacation" rule book; however, it's worth noting that we had to do some fast talking to calm the boat owner when he learned there were no husbands joining us. We returned the boat with no (visible) damage, and had already made reservations for the next year's reunion at a beachside resort.

What's the #1 Way to Market Travel, Lower Your Costs & Improve Your Success?

Find out what your market wants and needs are and give it to them. We want your help with a short online confidential survey. Plus you'll see how you can conduct an online survey too.

Help us, the group travel/hospitality industry and you'll receive a free Business & Marketing Mini-Course, the top marketing methods survey results and a chance to win over $238 worth of interviews with award winning travel pro's, marketing and E-marketing courses.

Tim Warren; TourismBusinessStrategies.com & Leisure Group Travel

Gail Sayadian is the director of marketing and sales for Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH). A veteran with over 20 years of experience at Choice Hotels, Ms. Sayadian oversees Choice's 22-person group and meetings department. She is responsible for overseeing the group tour, wholesale and group meetings market segments of the travel industry for Choice Hotels' ten hotel brands.