 If you are looking for a one-stop shop for all of your travel needs, then you should check out the Group Travel Blog. This blog will connect you directly with group friendly travel companies and provides information about singles group travel, travel tour groups, corporate travel planning, tourism destination marketing, travel planning business, small group adventure travel and so much more. If you think travel might be on your horizon this year, check out any of their recent bloggeries to see if this blog piques your interest: Festival of the West Welcomes Tour Groups, 2008 Carnival Parade – A New Concept for Quebec, Philadelphia Announces Strong Summer Results, Northstar – At Tahoe Resort: New and Noteworthy for 07/08, Peru tourism regains footing after earthquake hits Ica, Redwood Parks Lodge Co. Launches Adventure Tours, Dot Travel or Don’t Dot Travel? The Debate over .travel domain, Group travel to Cleveland – Don’t Miss the Arts and Culture Scene, and Holland America Line Adds Group Cruise Booking Tool.
Navigation on this blog is very straightforward and you will find your way moving through it with ease. Posts are left marginalized with a very standard black text on white background. The blog has an airplane logo as its header and the remainder of the blog is set in primary color accents. One thing I noticed right off the bat with this blog is the well blended AdSense, you barely notice it is there and the ads look like part of the blog, well done! In the right navigation bar you will find subscription information, ads, members login, archive section that you can view by date or by category with links provided, a blog calendar, and a hit counter with over 700 K hits. The right system also includes a handy categories menu with clever icons to represent each category: Cruise Veiws, How do I?, Industry News, International dateline, Just Back From, Marchey Marketing Minute, My Turn, US Bulletin, Link Partners, and What’s Your Niche. What I don’t see in the blog is an about page which might give the blog a little more personal voice and less of a business one, however I don’t think it’s hurting the blog by not having one. I do think a Recent Posts menu would be helpful to the readers in terms of navigation however.
Overall I will give this blog a 3.4/5. The blog scores well on most accounts with activity probably and visual stimulus needing the most attention. Posts are currently fairly regular but at times sporadic. The content itself is interesting and informative, easy to read and user friendly. I also think the simplicity of the blog design works in its favor and gives the blog an overall sense of professionalism which is what I think the bloggers are going for. Navigation is extremely easy in this blog as well, and for those that are seeking travel information through a blog, this blog offers an excellent place to do so.
-Chrissie