As Illinois’ beautiful fall colors and the autumn travel season wind down, we have moved full steam ahead with the launch of our 2022 holiday campaign this week.
To encourage visitors to make holiday memories in Illinois, the Middle of Everything, the campaign puts a spotlight on special holiday road trip itineraries, the state’s top holiday shopping destinations and events, and lights festivals that are sure to put travelers in the holiday spirit. Make sure to look for our eye-catching OOH ads at O’Hare Airport and our festive float at the Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival parade on November 19—whether you’re attending in person or watching on ABC 7 Chicago. And of course, we encourage you to check out our new holiday TV spot starring
Jane Lynch. We’re working to build on the momentum created by our fall campaign, which featured the new Fall Colors Trip Planner and generated more than 300 million earned media impressions and significant increases in engagement, reach and impression performance across the Enjoy Illinois social media channels.
And with the
Thanksgiving holiday nearly upon us, know that we are very grateful for all that you do to make Illinois such a wonderful place to live and visit.
Elevate your Tourism Strategy at ILGOVCONF22 The Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism is the conference for Illinois tourism. We take great pride in bringing together prominent expert speakers,
local travel professionals, government officials and anyone else who wants to learn, network and celebrate with like-minded colleagues. The full conference schedule has now been released. In it, you’ll find a dynamic keynote presentation on “The Workforce of Tomorrow” by future of work and leadership expert Eric Termuende, plus a range of illuminating general sessions and breakouts covering a variety of timely topics. Register for the conference today and join us in celebrating all things Illinois tourism next month!
Another Year, Another Win for Chicago The readers of Condé Nast Traveler recently put the spotlight on Illinois once again, naming Chicago the #1 best big city in the U.S. for travel for the sixth straight year. That’s no small feat, and it’s worth celebrating each time this incredible, diverse city is recognized among the best in the world. Travelers interested in exploring the city can use this holiday itinerary as a guide this holiday season.
More Funding to Boost Local Tourism On October 27, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce &
Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced nearly $3 million in funding to support local tourism promotional efforts across the state through the Illinois Travel and Tourism Grant Program. Through this opportunity, the state will match local funds used to promote destinations, attractions and events through marketing such as promotional materials, media production costs, billboards and more. In doing so, these projects are expected to increase visitation and overnight stays to fuel local economies in every corner of the state.
With Small Business Saturday coming up on November 26, travelers have an excellent opportunity to check some items off their list while they explore Illinois. To help people map out where to shop, we just released the 2022 Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide. The guide showcases a wide variety of original gifts that are truly unique to Illinois—from handmade pottery and ornaments, locally sourced spirits and wine to custom-made apparel. We encourage residents and visitors to find the perfect holiday gift by visiting and shopping at local businesses in every region of the state this holiday season. The 2022 class of Illinois Made Makers will be announced soon. If someone you know is interested in becoming a Maker, please feel free to nominate them for next year’s class.
As the temperature drops, the opportunities for travelers heat up. Using the Fall/Winter issue of the Enjoy
Illinois Magazine, visitors can plan a mesmerizing architectural tour of historic Chicago buildings, outings to colorful holiday lights festivals across the state, and visits to the best breweries and wineries for savoring sips of the season.
