Travel Tuesday, December 11

The state of Illinois is now 200 years and one week old — and what a wonderful party we had at Navy Pier during the Illinois Bicentennial Birthday Party. Numerous tourism partners, state officials and media outlets attended the festivities, snapping pics with Big Lincoln himself and digging into a custom 1,000-pound cheesecake from Eli's Cheesecake. Thank you to all the attendees who made Illinois' 200th birthday party one for the ages.

Though the Bicentennial may have passed, the story of Illinois lives on in every amazing moment. That's why we're continuing to share the rich history of Illinois with our 200 Years, 200 Stories series on EnjoyIllinois.com. There you can find articles and videos on everything from great moments in Illinois sports history to the hidden gems in communities throughout the state. Even several CVBs contributed delightful stories to the series. Head to EnjoyIllinois.com/illinois-200 to read them all!

At the Illinois Office of Tourism, we're always hard at work promoting our destinations to international travelers.

We recently hosted a trade FAM for German trade partners, allowing them to discover several amazing holiday and shopping destinations in Illinois. During the FAM, our German visitors saw the holiday sights and explored retail shops and boutiques in Chicago, Galena, and Rosemont. Thanks to the CVBs — as well as our friends at Great Rivers Country — who helped make this FAM possible.

It's always important to stay on top on international trends — and Illinois was recently host to an important educational event. On December 5, Great Lakes USA held the second annual China Readiness Seminar in Burr Ridge. During the seminar, attendees from throughout the Great Lakes learned more about how to adapt to and work with the rapidly growing Chinese tourism market. Speakers including representatives from Chinese tour companies, Hilton Hotels of Chicago, Corning Glass Museum in New York, and Brand USA.

International travel is so important to the future of Illinois tourism, so I'm delighted to continue our efforts to attract new visitors from around the globe. In the meantime, let's keep enjoying this wonderful holiday season in Illinois!

Your friend in Illinois tourism,

Work from legendary architects in Illinois isn't limited to Illinois' Frank Lloyd Wright Trail. In Plano, the Farnsworth House is a marvel of design by famed architect Mies van der Rohe. Its open-space, minimalist style frames the beautiful natural landscape that surrounds it. Now, for the first time ever, Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House will be open for tours during the winter months. The newly announced winter program will run from January 5 through March 23. Visit the Farnsworth House and see this architectural gem in a whole new light.

As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, the Chicago River will light up from Wolf Point to Lake Shore Drive. Catch the New Year's fireworks in downtown Chicago at several vantage points along the Chicago River. Launch sites include the Franklin Street, Clark Street, and Wabash Avenue bridges as well as river barges outside the Hyatt Regency Chicago and the Sheraton Grand Chicago.

Partners along the river will offer special packages and watch parties with spectacular views, including Gibson's Italia, Odyssey River Cruises, SPIN Chicago, and London House Chicago. Packages are available now.

The Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide is filled with great gift ideas for the season, all featuring products from small businesses throughout the state. At the Illinois Office of Tourism, we've been pitching the guide to media outlets, resulting in media coverage from publications excited about sharing handcrafted items from our Illinois Made artisans with holiday shoppers everywhere. Some of the media coverage includes:

ABC7 Chicago – Shopping in Illinois on Small Business Saturday
WMAY in Springfield – Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide Released
Chicago Parent – 8 made-in-Illinois gift ideas your relatives will love

Be sure to keep sharing the Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide, and visit the Illinois Made section of EnjoyIllinois.com for great gift ideas.

European outbound travel on the rise, again
According to a new survey by World Travel Monitor, more Europeans left their countries for travel in 2018 than in 2017, but the pace of growth wasn't as fast as the previous year. Overall, European outbound trips increased by only 5% in the first eight months of the year, compared to 7% the year before. Still, it's positive news that international travel is growing — a sign that international visitors continue to be vital to the growth of the industry.

New survey offers insight for travel advisors
A new study by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) aims to uncover why Americans might seek out a tourism advisor. According to the study, reasons why tourists might seek a professional's advice include insider information on unfamiliar destinations; access to cruises and airlines; and upgrades. Another insight from the study: besides destination and price, the #3 factor Americans use to consider a vacation is the availability of travel companions.