Fall Travel Trends, Industry Updates & New Opportunities for Illinois

Illinois Tourism Reaches Record-Breaking Milestones in 2025

Illinois’ tourism industry reached new heights in 2025, with 115 million visitors generating $50.2 billion in visitor spending. The visitor economy generated $88 billion in total economic impact, including $28.5 billion in personal income and 460,678 jobs supported across the state. Visitor activity also generated $7.1 billion in state and local taxes and more than $12.5 billion in total government revenue.

The data underscores the continued economic impact of tourism across Illinois. Visitor spending supported 7.6% of all jobs in the state, or roughly one in every 13 jobs, while visitors spent an average of $137.5 million per day in Illinois.

Explore the latest data and resources:

Registration Is Now Open for the 2027 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism

Registration is now open for the 2027 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism! Make sure to take advantage of the early bird rate of $499 through November 30, 2026, before the general registration rate of $599 begins December 1. Interested in sponsoring? Contact Pati Flannery at sponsorships@ilgovconference.com. We look forward to seeing you in Chicago, March 1-3, 2027, at Navy Pier.

Travelers Are Looking for Slower, More Immersive Experiences

MMGY's August NewsBeat report highlights several trends that could shape how destinations approach fall travel marketing:

Slow Travel and the Return of the "Analog" Holiday: As technology becomes increasingly embedded in daily life, travelers are seeking experiences that help them disconnect from screens and reconnect with nature, local culture and their surroundings. Interest in outdoor recreation, slower-paced itineraries and immersive experiences continues to grow.
Film Tourism Continues to Influence Travel Decisions: Travelers are increasingly inspired by the destinations, landscapes, culture and experiences they encounter through film and television. Rather than simply seeking film locations, consumers are looking for opportunities to immerse themselves in the places and stories they have seen onscreen.
Visual Storytelling Is Becoming More Important: As publishers continue investing in video, social media and streaming partnerships, editors are increasingly prioritizing stories that can perform across multiple platforms and formats. For destinations, this creates additional opportunities to think beyond traditional editorial coverage and develop stories with strong visual and video potential.

Fall Travelers Are Choosing the Open Road

New data from Hertz points to another strong opportunity for destinations this fall: road travel. Nearly half of U.S. adults surveyed by Hertz (46%) plan to travel this fall, with nearly 60% planning to drive to their destination compared with 28% whose trip requires a domestic flight. Millennials are particularly likely to embrace rental cars, pointing to continued demand for flexible, experience-driven road trips.

For Illinois destinations, the trend reinforces the value of promoting scenic drives, regional itineraries and destinations that can be connected through a longer weekend or multi-stop road trip.

Small Towns and Short Getaways Gain Momentum

Travel + Leisure recently highlighted Airbnb's 2026 fall travel trends, finding that travelers are gravitating toward shorter escapes, under-the-radar towns, and road trips. The trend is particularly relevant for destinations looking to capture travelers beyond traditional tourism hubs, as smaller communities and unique local experiences become part of the appeal.

Illinois is well positioned to tap into these preferences, with fall experiences ranging from charming river towns and scenic byways to state parks, orchards and communities across the state's diverse regions.