Statewide News

Plans underway for the 2006 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism

IBOT and Visit Illinois are pleased to present the 2006 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism, "The Main Event: Winning the Tourism Game," at the Hilton Springfield, Feb. 22-24, 2006. Featuring a sports theme, this year’s conference offers a new “playbook” for the 2006 travel season with presentations from renowned MVPs such as former Chicago Bear Tom Waddle, famed futurist Watts Wacker and technology trend expert Omar Wasow. The opening night event is sure to be a home run with a reception at the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
 
Watch your mail for registration information and take advantage of the outstanding early bird rates now available! For more information, visit www.iltourismconference.org.
 
If you are interested in becoming a conference sponsor or participating in the conference trade show, please contact Patrick Snyder at 312-658-0749 or psnyder@visitillinois.net.

Discover winter treasures in Illinois

Illinois is home to a flurry of traditional holiday events and festivals this month. In Chicago, visitors can get a true taste of Germany at Christkindlmarket, through Dec. 22. Chicago’s Daley Plaza becomes a replica of Germany’s famous Nuremberg market with more than 40 lively, colorful booths at this traditional event. Similar to the original German Christmas market, visitors to Christkindlmarket can sample traditional German refreshments such as a hot spicy red wine called Glühwein and the German gingerbread known as Lebkuchen.

Just an hour outside of downtown Chicago in Vernon Hills, visitors will find the stunning Cuneo Museum and Gardens’ Festival of Lights, through Jan. 1. In Northern Illinois, Galena’s Chestnut Mountain Resort, rated the No. 1 ski resort in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa by Ski Magazine, opens its slopes for the season in late November.

At the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, visitors can experience Christmas at the White House, through Jan. 8. This special temporary exhibit will showcase a dozen Christmas trees adorned in 19th- and 20th- century dressings (including some original ornaments used at the White House) and explore how the holiday season has been celebrated at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue throughout history. In Western Illinois, visitors can look forward to the beautiful East Peoria Festival of Lights, through Dec. 31, featuring more than a million lights producing images that range from Santa Claus to menorahs.

Heading downstate, visitors can indulge in “A Romantic, Classical Christmas Dinner” at the Von Jakob Vineyard in Pomona, where couples can escape from the holiday hustle and bustle with dinner and more than 20 varieties of wine to sample. In Belleville, the renowned Way of Lights celebration, through Jan. 6, offers a mile and a half of electro-art sculptures and life-size figures depicting the Christmas story.

IBOT offers additional information on winter festivals, events and attractions through its travel counselors at 1-800-2CONNECT or at the Bureau’s Web site, www.enjoyillinois.com.

Turn winter blahs into winter “aaahs” with an Illinois spa getaway

This winter IBOT invites visitors to experience the state’s world-renowned luxury day spas, resort spas and all-inclusive health spas. The Bureau is currently promoting Illinois spas as the ideal vacation destination, allowing visitors to relax and rejuvenate during the busy holiday season.

Media outreach will highlight some of Illinois’ most notable spas, including The Peninsula Spa Chicago in The Peninsula Chicago Hotel, rated by Travel + Leisure magazine as the “No. 2 City Spa in the Country”; Gilman’s Heartland Spa, a notable health and fitness retreat offering a variety of all-inclusive packages; and Carterville’s Egyptian Revival Day Spa and Wellness Center, known for its signature treatments such as the Sacred Honey Body Wrap.

With such a rich spa product base in Illinois, the Bureau looks forward to prompting visitors from across the state and the region to indulge and escape to an Illinois spa.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum receives top honors

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum was honored with two prestigious awards in November in recognition of its entertainment value and scholarly appeal.

The Lincoln Group of New York awarded the museum with the National Award of Achievement for bringing the history of Lincoln to the American people. The Lincoln Group of New York is a nationwide society of scholars dedicated to the study and discussion of the life and times of Lincoln.

The museum also won a top honor from TEA, the Themed Entertainment Association, for achievement in the creation of compelling places and experiences. The Lincoln museum is one of 13 recipients of the group’s 2005 Thea Awards. The awards will be presented at a black-tie gala on March 18, 2006 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.

The museum’s media coverage is also garnering awards! “Inside the Lincoln Library,” a special half-hour feature produced by WMAQ-TV Chicago (NBC), won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy® Award in the Documentary Programs category. The awards were presented in Chicago on Dec. 3.

Season’s greetings from IBOT

As the year draws to a close, we hope all of our tourism partners take the opportunity to reflect on the many achievements and milestones met during 2005. We also hope you celebrate the holiday by spending quality time with those that mean the most to you.

Very best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!