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Discover fall colors, participate in the Bicentennial Passport program and gear up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. #EnjoyIllinois
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Where in the world is the Illinois Office of Tourism? Over the last week, IOT and our partners have been traveling the globe, promoting Illinois to a world of eager international travelers and trade professionals.
Last week, the Japanese Association of Travel Agents' Tourism Expo Japan 2018 kicked off in Osaka, Japan. During the expo, representatives from Great Rivers Country met face-to-face with Japanese trade professionals to educate their teams on the wonders of Illinois travel to help them better promote the Illinois product in-country. Trips like these contribute valuable earned media for the state and allow the Illinois Office of Tourism to promote our destinations, hotels and attractions through trusted in-country outlets, attracting more international travelers to Illinois in 2018 and 2019.
Meanwhile, I traveled to Frankfurt and Munich to promote our amazing Illinois experiences to German media and travel writers. This trip was especially fun, as it just so happened to be Oktoberfest! Germany's legendary festival was the perfect time to hold the PROUD Business Wiesn 2018, a major LGBTQ networking event organized by Diversity Tourism and attended by 200 business leaders from Germany. As a sponsor of the event, the Illinois Office of Tourism promoted our state as a leading LGBTQ destination, spreading the word about initiatives like Amazing For All to an
international audience.
Along with our work overseas, we brought the world to Illinois when we hosted another international FAM group — the Great Lakes Chinese FAM. After an exciting stint in Chicago, our Chinese friends traveled west to Galena where they enjoyed ziplining, a vineyard tour, a walk around Galena's iconic Main Street, dinner at Generals' Restaurant in the historic DeSoto House Hotel and more. We can't wait to welcome even more visitors from across the globe to the many
amazing destinations all over Illinois.
Your friend in Illinois Tourism,
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Cory M. Jobe
Director
Illinois Office of Tourism
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| Scarecrow Fest Returns to St. Charles
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Scarecrows might be terrifying to our feathered friends, but they can be a lot of fun for us. Head out to St. Charles October 5–7 for the annual Scarecrow Fest. Marvel at over 100 hand-made and mechanical scarecrows as you soak in the live music, take a spin on classic carnival rides, and you can even add your own friendly scarecrow to the collection.
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| Line Up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
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| On your mark, get set, go! On October 7, nearly 45,000 runners from 50 states and more than 100 countries will line up for the 26.2-mile race to Chicago's Grant Park. Join over 1 million spectators who will line the streets to cheer on the dedicated runners, or head over to Grant Park for the finish-line celebrations.
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| Havencrest Castle Reopens to the Public
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| Get your castle fix when Havencrest Castle reopens to the public this weekend. Situated in a forest along the Mississippi River, the extravagant 63-room interior was designed by artist Alan Saint George and his late wife Adrianne as a testament to their love. Havencrest Castle is open every weekend in October.
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| Advertise in Travel Illinois in 2019
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The Fall/Winter 2018 edition of Travel Illinois magazine is out now, featuring Tangled Roots Brewing Company and the best places to enjoy the sights, sounds and flavors of the state by region. Since its release in August, the issue has been distributed across the state and surrounding metro markets — including hundreds of digital downloads on EnjoyIllinois.com.Now it's your turn! Travel Illinois Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2019 are in production now. Advertise in these exciting issues to reach over 700,000 potential
Illinois travelers across Illinois and its surrounding metro areas. The deadline to participate and receive a bonus ad is Friday, October 5. If you are interested in participating, contact MaryPat Moore at Meredith Publishing for more information. |
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Register for the 2019 Illinois Governor's Conference
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| Don't Miss the Bicentennial Passport Program
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It's not too late! Launched in association with this year's Illinois Bicentennial
celebrations, the Bicentennial Passport program invites visitors to explore 56 unique sites throughout Illinois. Along the way, you'll discover historical sites and hidden gems, gaining insight into how the past 200 years have shaped the state's history and character.
Visit any participating location now through November 30, 2018, and you'll receive a stamp for your passport. After November 30, mail in your passport to the designated address for the opportunity to win Bicentennial prizes.
Click the link below for a complete list of passport locations.
For more information and official participation rules, visit www.iandmcanal.org/200
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| Could "wellness" be the next big thing in travel?
The popular Austin-based festival South by Southwest recently added a new Wellness Expo to its agenda — a sign that wellness travel is fast becoming a hot-button item for young travelers. As with the organic and farm-to-table movements, the wellness trend highlights our culture's increasing interest in health-conscious hospitality. Could a
greater focus on wellness be right for your brand?
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| More Chinese travelers are coming... and they pay with mobile.
China is fast becoming one of the largest international travel markets for the U.S. and Illinois. Some 4 million Chinese travelers visited the U.S. in 2017, and those travelers weren't carrying cash or credit cards. As China becomes an
increasingly mobile-dependent country, the U.S. travel industry will need to work fast to accommodate if they hope to stay competitive in this valuable international market.
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Featuring more than 150 vendors selling a variety of high-quality, original handmade arts, crafts and fine arts, Galena Country Fair is one of Galena's biggest events of the year. Take advantage of shopping, live entertainment, children’s games, Irish dance performances and more. Hungry?
Grab some classic fair food or stop by the Country Bake Shop for freshly made breads and pastries. And of course, don't miss the Gazebo Wine Garden for a taste of some of the area's best flavors.
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Check out how people from all over the world #EnjoyIllinois every day on our Instagram
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Oh, and don't forget...We're excited to hear about what you have going on! Send your releases to news@enjoyillinois.com and social media campaigns you're launching to social@enjoyillinois.com. We can't guarantee that all events submitted will be featured, but we always love hearing about what's going on in your area, so keep sending your information!
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| LIKE THIS? SHARE THE LOVE
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| The Official Newsletter of the Illinois Office of Tourism
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| ©2018 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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| [_t.e.s.t_@example.com]
Illinois Office of
Tourism, 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 3-400, Chicago , IL 60601, United States
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| Illinois Office of Tourism
555 W Monroe St, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
United States
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