Amish Country Blog

The travel landscape has changed dramatically, yet there are signs of hope on the travel horizon. According to the U.S. Travel and YPartnership TravelHorizons™, consumer’s intentions to travel are on the rise. Leisure travelers in the U.S. planning to take at least one trip in the next six months grew to 63 percent in July. That’s up 2 percentage points from last year.

That news along with a more stable housing market and the recent impact of the government stimulus is providing sparks of hope for travel. Up-to-the-minute economic forecasts and outlooks for all sectors of the travel market will be addressed at the upcoming U.S. Travel’s Marketing Outlook Forum. Stay tuned.

Are you planning a trip in the next six months? Leave a comment and let us know!

There are definite signs people are traveling shorter distances, so Amish Acres has adjusted its services and offerings to appeal to a more local audience. For example, it’s expanded its restaurant menu beyond the Threshers Dinner introducing fresh ideas such as the new Sunday Buffet, German Sausage Wednesdays, and Half-Price Thursdays with a ½ price rib dinner, ½ price theatre tickets (non-reserved seating) and ½ price hotel suites – encouraging people to start their weekend getaway early. And it seems to be working.

Amish Acres has also taken a totally different marketing approach and forged cooperative partnerships with CVS in over 400 of its Midwest stores and all Kroger, Owens, and Scotts stores in most of Indiana.

Richard Pletcher, Founder and CEO, Amish Acres Historic Farm & Heritage Resort, Nappanee, IN

How far do you plan to travel for your summer vacation? Let us know.

Beautifully crafted products are a tradition in Amish Country, and the best way to find hand-crafted artistry is by traveling the Heritage Trail.  This self-guiding audio driving tour is designed to let you explore at your own pace, get behind-the-scenes glimpses of Amish life and direct you to all the major attractions so you don’t miss a thing.

And we’ve made it easy to find some of the area’s most talented artisans along the way. Just watch for businesses that post the Heritage Trail Artisans sign. From fine arts to fine crafts, these signs will lead you to delightful discoveries, one-of-a-kind works and give you the chance to meet friendly, talented artisans eager to share their unique stories.