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Daniel Thomas, Illinois Office of Tourism (IOT)
Spring is almost here, and with it, a new
season of new opportunities. I hope you're ready to make the most of the warmer weather! If you'd like an idea for a quick getaway, take a look at our Spring Break guide. (Or pass it on to someone you think needs an Illinois adventure!)
Last month I mentioned we were
about to head to the Southern Hemisphere for the Australia/New Zealand
Sales and Media Mission. The trip was a big opportunity for us, and it showed that the market is a big opportunity for Illinois.
- More than 1.2 million Australian and New Zealand visitors traveled to the United States in the past 12 months – nearly 4% of their combined population!
- Numbers continue to climb at a rapid pace with the largest airlift we’ve seen
in history.
- Illinois is in the top 10 most-visited states by Australasians, and in the top 10 states they’re most interested in visiting.
- Visitors are staying longer than they were pre-pandemic, with journeys of an average 14-21 days.
- 1,000+ travel agents, wholesalers and media were in attendance across five cities.
- I also took part in IMM TravMedia in Sydney, where I spoke with 22 media organizations from Australia and New Zealand.
If you’d like to learn more about introducing yourself to this market, watch this Brand USA webinar recording with the password kk8k%^E9
Australasia wasn’t our only international stop. We also attended the consumer-targeted Outdoor Adventure Show in Toronto, with our own dedicated booth showcasing some of Illinois’ best outdoor experiences.
It's been exciting to see the interest Illinois continues to create in other parts of the world. We'll continue our work to turn that interest into visits, and visits into experiences that benefit us all.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me via email.
Yours in tourism partnership,
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Daniel Thomas
Deputy Director
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
Office of Tourism
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How to Celebrate Women's History Month in
Illinois
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate, commemorate and study the many contributions and
accomplishments women have made in Illinois.
To mark the occasion, we’ve put together a guide to some of the many small businesses in our Illinois Made program that are owned and operated by talented women artisans with incredible stories. We’ll also be sharing some of these on social media.
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Keeping Illinois Accessible For All
Illinois is accessible for all. We're continuing to support that accessibility with our Accessible Travel guide on EnjoyIllinois.com, featuring inspiration and advice for visitors with disabilities. There you'll find links to some activities and attractions around the state that have provided accessibility information on their websites.
The page also features a selection of #AccessibleChicago
videos, a docuseries from Fun4theDisabled, which introduces us all to the ways that people with disabilities can explore Chicago's attractions. You'll find even more videos on Fun4theDisabled's YouTube channel.
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Real People. Real Stories. Real Outdoors.
Real People. Real Stories. They're at the heart of our Real Outdoors content series, showcasing the picturesque nature trails, hidden gems, iconic landmarks and unique stays in the Middle of Everything's great outdoors.
Visit the Enjoy Illinois website to watch, enjoy and share three videos that show what the outdoors have to offer: "A Love Letter to Family Camping & Fishing in Illinois," "Finding Beauty in a Nature Escape from Chicago," and "Adventure in Adaptive Climbing." Watch out for shorter reels and clips on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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Don't Miss Your Last Chance To See A Total Solar Eclipse Before 2044
On April 8, 2024, you'll have the rare opportunity to see a total solar eclipse from the contiguous United States—your last chance until August 2044.
Southern Illinois is one of the best places to see it. Carbondale is right in the middle of the total solar eclipse’s path, and if you’re there, you’ll be able to watch it for 4 minutes and 9 seconds—nearly double what was seen during the previous total solar eclipse in 2017!
That event drew huge visitor numbers and media attention, and this year, we can expect thousands to make the journey again. We’ve put together a guide for how to experience this phenomenon.
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2024 Sports Illinois Huddle is Coming Up in May
This year’s Sports Illinois Huddle takes place May 13-15 at Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park. As the date nears, sportsillinoishuddle.com will have details of events, activities, education sessions and keynote speakers.
The Huddle is an annual tradeshow hosted by the Illinois Office of Tourism and the Illinois Destination Association. It’s designed to recruit and attract more amateur sporting events to our state as we continue to showcase Illinois as a leader in the amateur sports tourism industry.
This year’s three-day event provides educational breakout sessions with industry leaders on topics relevant to the industry, as well as many networking opportunities, including a night at Guaranteed Rate Field and a Chicago White Sox game.
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A Tradition Since '67: The IHSA Wrestling Individual State Championships in Champaign
Speaking of sports, on February 15-17, Champaign again hosted the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Wrestling Individual State Championships, continuing a tradition that began in 1967.
The event drew an estimated 30,000 attendees, generating an estimated $5.5 million economic impact. It's another great example of how sports can drive visitation, build connections and introduce our communities to more people—who will spread the word to others in their communities!
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Danville Secures the NJCAA DII National Championship—a 36-year Streak!
Every year since 1993, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II men's basketball championship has taken place in Danville, Illinois, bringing hundreds of players, coaches and
supporters with it. It's thanks to the city's hard work during each bid process, competing against much larger, well-funded colleges and cities.
After the most recent bid last year, Danville again got the nod to host through 2025. Last month, NJCAA stretched this to 2028! It's a big boost for the area's tourism, and testament to the support and hospitality of the locals and the hard work of the Danville Area Visitors Bureau, led by Executive Director Jeanie Cooke. Congratulations from us all!
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#ILGOV2024 is Almost Here. There is Still Time to Secure Your Place!
The team is putting the final touches on the 2024 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism, and it’s set to be an incredible few days of networking and learning.
The best news is, you still have time to secure your spot! Join us in Peoria, March 19-21, by registering online now.
If you’ve already registered, or would like a little more info, check out the updated schedule and speaker lineup. With insights into the traveler purchase process, AI, social media, DEIA, sports tourism, agritourism, the future of the industry and more, you're guaranteed to go home inspired (and ready to inspire others).
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Prepare to Celebrate 100 Years of Route 66
IOT is excited to share the official Route 66 Centennial brand assets and usage guide.
These assets have been created by the Illinois Office of Tourism and the Route 66 Centennial Commission. In 1926, Illinois became the first state to have the entirety of its portion of Route 66 paved, from Chicago to St. Louis. The custom logo suite celebrates 100 years of Route 66 in Illinois.
Please note that approval is required for use of the Route 66 Centennial brand assets and they may only be used for collaborative advertising in partnership with the Illinois Office of Tourism, State of Illinois or Route 66 Centennial Commission. This brand cannot be forwarded or applied to/on any merchandise or materials outside what is explicitly shown in the marketing, promotion and website examples. Any usage outside these parameters must be explicitly approved in writing by the Illinois Office of Tourism or Route 66 Centennial Commission.
You can find more information on usage in the full brand guidelines which also includes details on accessing the logo files.
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Eight Spots Left for Advertisers on EnjoyIllinois.com
There are only eight spots left for partners to advertise on EnjoyIllinois.com. This is an incredible opportunity to have your message seen by the millions of visitors to our website each year.
Our banner ads let you link directly to your website
with no third-party commissions. You can also rotate creative for specific promotions or campaigns.
For full details, please contact Morgan Selvage at mselvage@timezoneone.com.
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Visitors Are Looking For More Than Just A Visit
Those of us in the tourism industry know how important travel is to living a fulfilling life. A recent TripAdvisor study shows that’s a view shared by travelers worldwide, too.
The study reveals a significant trend towards valuing experiences over material items. In short, many of those surveyed are more willing to cut discretionary spending elsewhere in their lives so they can fund their next travel adventure—so long as those adventures offer lasting memories.
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Average Spring Trip Spend Up 11.2%
While those unforgettable moments are invaluable, they do still come at a monetary cost. According to travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth, those costs are higher than ever before, with average spring trip spends up 11.2% this year.
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Lesser-known Destinations Favored By Well-Traveled Families
Family travel has always been a big market for travel professionals, but a recent Travel Weekly survey of travel agencies and advisors suggests it’s growing even more—and evolving in its tastes and preferences.
One advisor notes that well-traveled families feel they’ve done “Travel 101” and are now seeking out “201” destinations—lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Another advisor says that the ways families build
vacations around work commitments are changing, too. They'll take the opportunity to work remotely and explore the world with their family at the same time.
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New Illinois Made Video: Hearth & Hammer
Our latest Illinois Made video introduces you to Hearth & Hammer, a historic-modern neighborhood general store and literary candle studio in Batavia. They focus on providing quality crafted goods
that come with a story behind them. "We want everyone who visits to walk away feeling like they’ve experienced a piece of Batavia and to be reminded that the concept of the neighborhood general store is still alive and well."
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Spring isn't quite here yet, but the brand new spring/summer issue of the Enjoy Illinois inspiration guide is! It's full of ideas and inspiration for making the most of the warmer seasons.
Features include a special Illinois Made guide and
a pull-out map of the state which highlights scenic byways and other attractions.
View online
Download the PDF
If you're interested in becoming an advertiser, please contact Kim Sommerfeldt at DotDash Meredith.
For bulk orders, please contact Brad.Strauss@illinois.gov.
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The Official Industry Newsletter of the Illinois Office of Tourism
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©2024 Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
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You're receiving this email as a valuable partner of the Illinois Office of Tourism.
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