Good morning to you on this chilly start to the weekend unless you're in Palm Springs, Calif., lucky duck! From my end of the computer screen, it's barely 15 degrees but now I can wear bulky sweaters and fatten up for the cold ahead! (I suppose there is a virtue to everything.)

Speaking of the virtues of the cold, I'm heading out on assignment this weekend to Cascade Mountain with the Skunk Hollow Ski and Snowboard Club. I'm very excited about going but it's only the second time I've ever skied so the next InSite might be written from a hospital bed! Ah, the things we do in the name of adventure...

In Leisure Group Travel news, the December edition was released this week, so please enjoy! Our bonus Industry Forecast edition came as a supplement to December's issue, so you’ll have your hands full in the next couple of months with all the information we’ve provided.

I'd like to wish you a good shopping season and we'll talk again on December 21. Happy holidays!

There is much about Mesa that should warrant your group's attention. Not only is Mesa the third largest city in the state, with some of the most breathtaking natural beauty and best weather in the nation, it also offers a top-notch cultural experience. Exciting new arts and culture events are happening in Mesa, including the continued success of the new Mesa Arts Center.

With its expanding and thriving downtown areas and natural resources that never cease to amaze, Mesa is a great place for your group to visit and re-visit!

Holiday travel season is upon us, with flights, cruises, railways, lodging and vehicles being booked at lightening speed. But, as consumers collectively spend $1.3 trillion annually for travel and tourism, far too few know what their legal "rights and obligations" are before making their travel-related purchase, which can render them vulnerable even to severe unforeseen legal consequences.

With suggestions that are helpful for both you and your groups, we'll take a look at a few key considerations to help would-be holiday vacationers avoid or appropriately deal with travel trouble.

Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, has a central location that offers full access to both the state's cultural attractions and natural beauty. Little Rock exists as a cultural bloom in the center of immense natural resources including six national park sites and 2.5 million acres of national forests which extend from the ridges of the ancient Ouachita and Ozark mountains to the Delta flatlands.

The growing city of Little Rock compliments the constant beauty of the Arkansas outdoors. Renovations to the Aerospace Education center and the building of a new 12.5-million-dollar Bridge, along with numerous historic sights and outdoor excursions, prove that the city is constantly moving forward while preserving and enjoying its past and inherent resources.

Alaska is a destination that conjures up images of glaciers, mountains, wildlife and blue ice waters but photos don't do this cruise destination justice. It has to be experienced. Over the years, the number of cruise lines offering Alaska cruises has grown, with most now offering land tour extensions as well.

For the 2007 Alaskan season, even more options exist to explore this incredible destination, with cruise departures now readily available out of Seattle, Vancouver, Seward and Whittier. A simple travel guide will get you cruising Alaska in no time. Read to find a history of Alaskan cruise lines as well as the cruises that best fit your desires.

Congratulations to our 2006 Reader's choice winners, selected by readers of Leisure Group Travel. We're proud to say that voting this year was our strongest ever!

Reader’s choice is designed to reward performance above and beyond the norm, with judging done by those that matter most a tour supplier's group customers. Read on to find out how suppliers were rated best in their respective categories and don't forget to congratulate them!

Sorrento long-time resort town that has seen the likes of Goethe, Lord Byron, John Keats and Walter Scott became home base to Mary de Souto and her band of eighteen tour members as they explore southern Italy on a ten-day autumn tour.

Read to learn more about Marty's adventure and the many reasons why the best way she knows how to stay on top of the travel game is, of course, to travel.

Once again, we bring you our findings for the 2007 U.S. Tourism Offices Directory, which gives you the most up-to-date contact information for every group- friendly DMO in the country. It's so big this year that we had to split it into two parts!

You can view this online by clicking the link below or you can connect directly to GroupTravelDirectory.com to find exactly what you'll need for 2007!

Part I