"Feeding my friends": think first of our own great state when traveling both for pleasure and business.

• Author: Holderby, Katie
• Position: Viewpoint

THE TOUR AND TRAVEL industry is dynamic and ever changing, Every traveler wants a new and different activity Travelers value independence yet also request "simple" and planned activities or itineraries.

Tour Indiana is a membership organization promoting group travel to and within the state of Indiana, The organization represents more than 180 tourism and travel businesses located throughout the state. Numerous marketing methods are utilized, including but not necessarily limited to direct mail, electronic marketing and sales calls to travel and meeting planners across the country and Canada.

As executive director of Tour Indiana, I encourage every Hoosier to think first of our own great state when traveling both for pleasure and business. Make arrangements for your family reunion, business conference and fraternal group to meet in your own backyard!

I refer to this as "feeding my friends." For years I have vacationed with my family in every corner of Indiana--and numerous destinations in-between. Encourage friends, relatives and business acquaintances to utilize Indiana venues when planning any type of event, travel or activity. By staying in Indiana, we avoid leakage and maximize utility in our own state. Travel in Indiana is a $6.7 billion a year business.

Group travelers are similar to individual leisure travelers in that they are searching for new and unusual activities. The latest trend in travel is dubbed "edutainment." Today's traveler craves not just excitement, but education. Travelers want to experience an activity and culture, and understand the destination.

How can those of us in the hospitality industry educate and entertain at the same time? Destinations eager to retain, attract and maintain group business must reinvent themselves. Change your operational paradigms and go that extra step--when one activity or amenity begins to wane in its appeal, try something else. Change keeps a...