Travel Tuesday, November 6

This week is an important time in our work to engage international travelers. As we speak, I'm here in the heart of the World Trade Market London (WTM), the leading global event for industry professionals to network, create business leads and build relationships. And what relationships we're building! Throughout the show, the Illinois Office of Tourism has met with dozens of potential buyers, aided in our efforts by partners including Choose Chicago, Chicago North Shore, Great Rivers Country, Heritage Corridor, Rivers & Routes, Rockford CVB, and Visit Springfield.

WTM comes on the heels of another important event in London: the Regent Street Motor Show on Saturday, November 3, when thousands of pedestrians roamed Regent Street in downtown London to marvel at vintage, classic and modern-day cars. This event was a great way for us to showcase Route 66 — one of Illinois' most popular attractions among international travelers — directly to motor enthusiasts in one of our most important global markets. As a title-sponsor of the event, IOT was able to reach 40,000 potential visitors with an existing interest in Route 66, planting the seeds to inspire them to book a trip to Illinois and see the Mother Road for themselves.

As we continue to inform international markets of our amazing destination, events like these keep Illinois in the minds of travelers worldwide, which drives growth in our industry and helps local economies all throughout Illinois. Thank you to all our partners who support these global efforts to keep Illinois tourism strong.

Your friend in Illinois Tourism,

Every year from May through September, Rent One Park in Marion is home to the Southern Illinois Miners, a professional baseball team in the Frontier League. Starting next year, the park will see even more action on the diamond. Softball Canada, the Canadian national softball team, will become the Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois and make Rent One Park its home field for the National Pro Fastpitch League. The third-ranked softball team in the world, the squad will play approximately 25 home games at Rent One Park, bringing even more great opportunities to get out and enjoy a game in Southern Illinois.

Well, the secret's out. The City of Rockford is quickly becoming a must-visit destination. In an article published last week, the Chicago Tribune profiled Rockford as one of the Midwest's up-and-coming urban centers, citing places such as BMO Harris Bank Center, the Discovery Center Museum and Rockford Roasting Co. — one of our Illinois Made makers — as contributing to the city's vibrant resurgence. With the new 160-room Hilton Embassy Suites Hotel set to open in 2020, there won't be any excuses not to visit the city along the peaceful Rock River.

It may be November, but there is still time for fall color. From shimmering sumacs in the Land of Lincoln to the saffron hues of the Trails to Adventure, Illinois' vibrant colors are thriving. You can follow along with the changing colors with IOT's weekly Fall Color Report. Every week, head to EnjoyIllinois.com/fallcolor to read a recap of reds and yellows courtesy of the Department of Natural Resources — and share your own photos on Instagram with the hashtag #fallinillinois for a chance to be featured on the page.

Get ready for the biggest party of the century — in fact, of the last 200 years. On December 3, 2018, Illinois is officially turning 200 years old. To celebrate the Illinois Bicentennial and showcase the people, places and things that have been Born, Built and Grown in Illinois, the Illinois Bicentennial Commission will host a birthday party at the United Center in Chicago. Everyone's invited to enjoy star-studded lineup of birthday guests, including Illinois-native musicians such as Styx, REO Speedwagon and Buddy Guy.

Learn more about the Illinois Bicentennial at EnjoyIllinois.com/200

Voice assistants could be a boon for vacation rentals
Service is one of the major advantages hotels have maintained over vacation rentals — but that gap could soon be closing thanks to the technology of voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home. However, according to Skift, there's a lot of challenges to make voice technology reach the level of service a hotel can provide — especially in the realm of personalization. As the industry continues to evolve, paying attention to voice technology is one key to the future of hospitality.

Independent Chinese travelers becoming increasingly common
For years, tour groups have been the most popular way for Chinese travelers to visit long-haul destinations, but that appears to be changing. Thanks to trends such as mobile technology and sporting events, independent Chinese travelers have started to account for more and more of the overall outbound market, up to 42% in 2017. When it comes to the Chinese market, tour operators everywhere would be wise to start considering ways to appeal to independent travelers as well as tour groups.