Travel Tuesday, September 18

I've said it before: our local CVBs — and their directors — are the backbone of the Illinois travel industry. Our local partners are our eyes and ears on the ground keeping us informed about new developments, supporting our state's global efforts and cultivating unique destinations and experiences for our visitors. That's why I'm so delighted to welcome a new CVB director to the Illinois tourism family, Quad Cities CVB President and CEO Dave Herrell.

Dave joins the QCCVB from Jacksonville, Florida, where he supported local tourism through professional sports management. Dave succeeds interim president and CEO Lynn Hunt and longtime CEO and president Joe Taylor. I'm so excited to see how this dynamic industry will evolve in the Quad Cities over the coming years.

Speaking of the Quad Cities, in a little over two weeks, the region will play host to Illinois' only point-to-point, all-trail ultramarathon. What's an ultramarathon? It's any foot race of more than the standard 26.2 miles, or in this case... a whole 100 miles! Lovingly designated the Hennepin Hundred, the race spans 100 miles from Sterling to Colona along the beautiful Hennepin Canal. This incredible event is drawing runners from across the U.S. and around the world to experience the beauty of Illinois.

If running 100 miles isn't exactly your forte, consider something like the 24th Annual Harvest Pow Wow in Naperville. Experience beautiful Native American culture, from archery and drum groups to Native American dancers in full Regalia dress. Taking place on the Naper Settlement on September 22–23, the Annual Harvest Pow Wow is the largest of its kind in the state.

Your friend in Illinois Tourism,

Located where the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers converge, the region around Grafton is already a scenic destination. Now, visitors can get a whole new perspective of the river valley thanks to the upcoming Grafton Sky Tour, a unique aerial lift that will serve as the second fixed-system "chandola" (chair and gondola) design in the United States. Along with the sightseeing attraction, the Sky Tour aims to establish an open-air shuttle system that will ferry visitors and locals across the town, giving them a whole new way to access Grafton's shopping, dining, nightlife and activities.

When your pitmaster is recognized globally as "the legend," you know you're about to have great barbecue. At 17th Street BBQ in Murphysboro — the restaurant that helped earn Murphysboro the title of Barbecue Capitol of Illinois — Mike Mills is the presiding pitmaster (and you wouldn’t want it any other way). Mike’s barbecue pedigree is impressive, to put it lightly:

Co-captain of one of the most celebrated barbecue teams in history, Apple City Barbecue
Four-time World Champion and three-time Grand World Champion
Grand Champion of the Jack Daniel’s World Invitational Barbecue Cooking Contest
Winner of the Jack Daniel’s Sauce Contest

Unsurprisingly, Mike was honored with a place in the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2010. At 17th Street BBQ, you can experience Mike’s award-winning flavors for yourself, from babyback ribs to his pork steak (featured in Bon Appetit Magazine). Or, enjoy all of his Blue Ribbon selections with the Grand Champion Plate.

Meet more of the makers, creators, artisans and craftspeople that make Illinois thrive at the Enjoy Illinois website.

Corrected kiosk glitch reveals record growth in international travel
Many began to fear the worst when significant year-over-year declines were reported for international traveler numbers in 2017. But when a reporting glitch was discovered at kiosks in several major international airports, the U.S. National Travel & Tourism Office (NTTO) suspended future reporting while the problem was resolved. According to NTTO, residency data was being incorrectly collected, causing millions of travelers to be miscounted as they entered the country. Since correcting the glitch, NTTO has many singing a different tune, with the latest reports revealing record numbers and a two-percent increase year-over-year for 2017.

Could Apple's new augmented reality tech transform the travel industry?
Amidst a flurry of big announcements, Apple recently highlighted their commitment to better augmented reality experiences for iPhone users. This news has many travel professionals wondering how augmented reality could apply to the travel industry. One possibility is providing new opportunities for travelers to discover experiences and activities in-trip. How else might this emergent trend enhance visitor experiences and help leaders better market their destinations?