November Illinois Tourism Monthly

Another highlight was attending the LGBTQIA+ Tourism Symposium in Munich. Alongside some European industry peers, I spoke on a panel about new LGBTQIA+ tourism trends in destinations — a great opportunity to learn from others, and share our experience. A quick stop at PROUD Wiesn and the opportunity to meet the new Consul-General to Germany rounded out the trip! Germany is another key market for us, so building these connections is invaluable.

We had the opportunity to build more invaluable connections recently at the Travel, Events and Management in Sports (TEAMS) Conference, alongside a number of our CVB partners. This appointment-based trade show is one of the world's leading events for the sports-event industry. Through one-on-one meetings with sports-event organizers, we laid the groundwork to potentially secure future events for Illinois.

That's not all we have in the future. We're also building new bridges in group travel through our fresh memberships with the Ontario Motorcoach Association (OMCA) and National Tour Association (NTA). Our team just returned from the OMCA Marketplace, where we pitched Illinois as a go-to destination for group travel. The NTA's annual conference, Travel Exchange (TREX), is next up later this month. With Route 66's centennial coming up in 2026, these partnerships couldn't come at a better time to drive interest, and drive visitation.

Thank you for your support and partnership. As always, please feel free to reach out to me via email.

Yours in tourism partnership,

Celebrating Native American History Month

This month, we're highlighting the rich Native American heritage woven throughout Illinois' history and present-day culture. Our new landing page on EnjoyIllinois.com offers articles and itineraries that guide visitors through significant sites, from ancient settlements to contemporary cultural centers.

Visitors can learn more about Cahokia Mounds, discover the story behind Black Hawk State Historic Site, and find out how to experience living traditions through events and activities across the state.

Visit EnjoyIllinois.com to see how visitors can plan journeys that connect our state's past, present and future through the lens of Native American heritage.

Newsweek Names Lincoln Home One of the Top 10 Presidential Attractions in U.S.

Springfield's Lincoln Home National Historic Site has been named one of the ten Best Presidential Attractions in the United States by Newsweek. Selected by expert panelists and voted on by readers, Newsweek's list celebrates destinations that showcase presidential history through compelling visitor experiences.

Of course, none of us who've visited need to be told it's a great visitor experience, but we're thrilled this will help even more visitors discover one of Illinois'—and America's—most significant historic sites. Congratulations to the many people that keep the Lincoln Home worthy of such recognition!

Luxe by Illinois Helps Drive Uptick in Hotel Bookings

Our Luxe by Illinois initiative, launched in January, is already showing great results across our luxury tourism sector—results we were proud to share recently with Travel Trade Gazette.

Early highlights include a 5% increase in booking pace for Camp Aramoni, and similar upward trends for properties like The Peninsula Chicago. This success contributes to broader growth in our industry, with 80 of our 102 counties reporting increased hotel/motel tax revenue. We look forward to seeing that growth continue, and for more visitors to discover all the different ways Illinois is a premium destination.

New Grant Applications are Open!

Applications for grants in the tourism private sector and for tourism attractions are now live!

Two rounds of funding will be awarded for the purpose of attracting and hosting tourism events and for the development and improvement of tourism attractions throughout the state of Illinois. Award amounts will vary between $10,000 and $50,000 for the private sector grant and $15,000 and $200,000 for the attraction grant.

A technical assistance webinar for the tourism attractions application will be held on November 26th at 9am and a technical assistance webinar for the private sector application will be held on November 26th at 11am.

The deadline for both applications is December 20th, 2024. Don’t wait, apply today!

New 'Michelin Guide for Wellness' Aims to Guide Health-Conscious Travelers

A new certification program is helping hotels and resorts capitalize on the growing consumer interest in all things wellness. The Wellness in Travel and Tourism (WITT) certification evaluates properties across five key areas: healthy eating, holistic healing, nature, movement, and local impact.

The program, which operates similar to the Michelin Guide, uses a 100-point system to audit wellness amenities and services. 100 properties have already received certification through early adoption, with WITT planning to launch a consumer-facing website where travelers can explore certified properties and destination spotlights. It might just be the next big thing in proving your value to prospective visitors.

Sober Tourism Emerges as an Exciting Opportunity

More and more travelers are eschewing the hotel bar and seeking alcohol-free experiences, according to research by Expedia, as reported by InsideHook. Their study shows a staggering 41% of Americans are planning to book "detox trips," while another survey suggests 34% are actively trying to reduce their alcohol consumption.

Major hospitality brands are already adapting: Four Seasons, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton and Hilton have launched non-alcoholic beverage programs, and some cruise lines now offer dry packages. Destinations are getting in on it, too, with some destinations creating dedicated experiences like mocktail trails to attract these travelers.

Apart from this, InsideHook suggests one key to success for destinations is to focus on active experiences and exploration, rather than activities where a drink is more likely to be close at hand.

Understanding and Attracting Today's Solo Traveler

A new study from Hostelworld reveals important shifts in solo travel preferences. It shows solo travel is evolving from trend to lifestyle, particularly among younger travelers, with 68% under age 31.

What drives their choices? Affordability is the top consideration (50.6%), and the top motivations are independence (75%) and connecting with local people and cultures (45%).

Still, solo travelers identify a few challenges and concerns, too. Chief among these are safety, a lack of companionship, and difficulties meeting other people. So there's good opportunity there for destinations and accomodation providers to clearly communicate safety measures, offer social spaces for meeting others, and highlight authentic local experiences to win over those visitors who might have reservations about making a reservation.

Video Feature: Wildflour Bakery & Candy Co.

In Casey, Illinois—a town famous for its collection of "world's largest things"—Mariah Loschen has created something that perfectly fits the local scale: jumbo cupcakes. As owner of Wildflour Bakery & Candy Co., she drew inspiration from her hometown's oversized attractions to make these treats the centerpiece of her charming store.

From handcrafted Belgian chocolates to a unique bulk saltwater taffy display, every sweet treat is made with ingredients sourced from local Illinois farmers, crafters, and orchards.

Discover the Wildflour story in their Illinois Made video.