Downers Grove, IL - Leisure Group Travel magazine, the leading editorially driven publication for the group travel industry, has just been awarded a Grand Prize in the North American Travel Journalists Association Awards Competition for Linda Hagen Miller's three-part series, "On the Trail of Lewis & Clark." 349 submissions were judged and 31 First Prizes were awarded to publications, CVBs and businesses. Miller's article was one of only three granted a Grand Prize.

"Each of our issues has a feature article, which is intended to cut across geographic boundaries and provide travel planners with new ideas for theme trips. In the case of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial article, which was conceived nearly two years ago, the scope of their trip and the many events and sites along the way dictated a three-part feature. We are fortunate to have Linda Hagen Miller as one of our regular writers, as she has extensive experience writing about group travel, as well as having special expertise on the West," said John Kloster, Editor in Chief of Leisure Group Travel. "This award is a testament to the fine job she did, as well as being representative of the fine editorial in our publications."

Linda is a full-time writer specializing in the Pacific Northwest whose work has also appeared in Coastal Living, AAA Via and others, as well as publisher of Bylines 2004 writer's desk calendar. "I am stunned and thrilled to receive this award," Linda says. "The Lewis & Clark series was a challenge to write because we were putting it together at a time when many of the tourism bureaus were still finalizing their Bicentennial plans while others had a full slate of activities organized and tons of great brochures, maps, photos available. I'm grateful to all the CVBs, chambers of commerce, city and state tourism offices and attractions who supplied information. I had not shoe boxes full of info, but packing boxes! By the time I got the Corps of Discovery story to the west coast, I was almost as relieved as they must have been!"

Premier Tourism Marketing's publications are the only ones in the group market that include domestic, international, cruise and "how-to" content. According to Kloster, "We write to the needs of our readers, with first-generation content, rather than running advertorials and rewritten press releases. Ironically, by creating this "sticky" content, we find our readers more engaged and this actually creates more leads and greater returns for our advertisers than our competitors can deliver."

About Leisure Group Travel
Leisure Group Travel is published by Premier Tourism Marketing, a leading publisher of trade journals, web sites and e-newsletters for the group travel industry, with a total circulation of 27,000 group travel organizers throughout North America, five web sites and two e-newsletters. Leisure Group Travel reaches 15,500 group travel planners across North America representing religious groups, banks and credit unions, senior centers and park districts, special interest and alumni groups, plus tour operators, bus companies and travel agents that serve the market. The firm is a four-time winner of the Mature Media Awards for journalism excellence in travel trade magazines.