From the Desk of Daniel Thomas, Illinois Office of Tourism (IOT)
Welcome to Illinois Tourism Monthly, our B2B forum for all things Enjoy Illinois. Whether you would like to engage
with the Illinois Office of Tourism directly, receive updates on our latest news or events across the state, or catch up on the latest tourism trends - you are in the right place.
This month, I'm on the move! I'm delighted to be embarking on a statewide listening tour. This will give me a chance to reconnect, meet many of you for the first time, and have the opportunity to engage in real discussions with tourism leaders, business owners, and advocates for our communities all across Illinois.
I am also thrilled to share our latest tourism impact numbers. In 2022, visitor expenditures hit $44 billion, up $12 billion from 2021, and we welcomed more than 111 million visitors in the past year. The total economic impact of tourism in Illinois was $78 billion and over 270,000 tourism and hospitality jobs were directly supported in 2022 as well. Incredible news as we look to the future and growing
more in 2023.
The economic impact numbers for individual counties have also been released. They can be viewed using the interactive Economic Impact Dashboard on the EnjoyIllinois.com Tourism
Industry page.
As we inch closer to 2024, I’m truly excited to see what the future of tourism has in store for all of us and how we can work
together to make an even greater impact on our incredible state.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me via email. I look forward to many productive discussions in the coming weeks.
Yours in tourism partnership,
Daniel Thomas Deputy Director Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism
Bud Billiken Parade Celebrates 94 Years
Heralded as the United States' second-largest parade, the Bud Billiken Parade returned to Chicago’s Bronzeville and Washington Park neighborhoods on August 12 for its 94th year with thousands lining the street to watch 100+ vibrant floats.
IOT joined the parade with a float and support crew that handed out Enjoy Illinois stickers and fans with information on trip ideas throughout the state.
The parade centers
around the celebration of youth, education, and African American culture. The event coincides with the end of summer vacation and the return to school for Chicago's young minds.
IOT Attends 39th Annual ESTO Conference
Now in its 39th year, the U.S. Travel Association held its annual Education Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) conference from August 19 – 22 in Savannah, Georgia.
The conference delivers actionable tourism knowledge and networking opportunities to marketing professionals and other attendees from across the US.
IOT representatives attended a variety of sessions covering topics including diversity, accessibility, AI, macroeconomic
trends, and more. These learnings will help inform marketing efforts in FY24 and beyond.
IOT Announces Statewide Listening Tour
Recently, IOT launched a new statewide listening tour, which is intended to give CVBs, business owners, and other tourism leaders from all across the state the opportunity to meet and connect with our office.
Daniel Thomas has embarked on this tour, covering all regions of the state, with the aim to engage with the 36 CVBs and many leaders in the tourism and hospitality industry.
The tour aims to help professionals in the industry connect with Thomas in order to learn more about how the state can best support them in their business growth and tourism initiatives.
TV Host Samantha Brown Shares Mini Route 66 Getaway In a recent segment on Today, Samantha Brown highlighted her list of recommended last-minute getaways before the end of summer. Included in her
segment was a mini Route 66 trip throughout Illinois - starting at the Old Joliet Prison.
Virtuoso Reports High Demand for Luxury Travel For Fall & Winter
According to data from Virtuoso in a Travel Weekly article, the surge in luxury travel since COVID-19 is set to continue throughout the upcoming fall and holiday season.
Business Travel Spending Expected to Surpass Pre-COVID Levels in 2024 According to an article from Bloomberg, Global Business Travel Association's annual report predicts that spending on business travel will surpass pre-pandemic levels next year and is set to exceed $1.78 trillion by 2027. This accelerated growth comes as a result of more stable global economic conditions and the absence of anticipated recessions, as reported during the GBTA's annual conference in Dallas. National Park Visitor Spending Hits All-Time High
A recently published study from the US National Park Service reveals that visitors to national parks significantly bolstered the economies of nearby communities last year, setting a new record for spending.
Bloomberg noted that visitors contributed close to $24 billion in 2022 on various expenditures such as accommodations, dining, and fuel in the vicinity of the parks. This marked a substantial 16% upswing from the figures in 2021. Among the expenditures, lodging accounted for the most substantial portion of spending, totaling $9 billion nationwide, followed by restaurants with $4.6 billion.
New Videos
We are pleased to share the latest addition to our Illinois Made video collection: Dangela's Dumplings in Libertyville and Forgottonia Brewing in Macomb.
Be on the lookout for the launch of new videos on our YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
Illinois Made Submission Deadline Illinois Made submissions have officially closed. Thank you so much for your submissions! We look forward to announcing the 2023 Illinois Made class this fall.
Discover the magic of fall and supernatural chills with spooky spirits and more in the Fall/Winter 2023/24 issue of the Enjoy Illinois Magazine—featuring Camp Aramoni in Tonica on the cover. Available now for viewing and download.
If you're interested in becoming an advertiser, please contact Kim Sommerfeldt at DotDash Meredith.
