As the weather gets warmer and leaves return to the trees, it can only mean one thing—the Illinois Bureau of Tourism’s spring/summer campaign is about to begin. We have a number of exciting new projects to share!

One of our most ambitious new undertakings is a partnership with WTTW11 Chicago public broadcasting to leverage Illinois tourism with the longstanding TV program, “Wild Chicago.” This new show, “Wild Chicago’s Illinois Road Trip,” will air Friday nights at 8:30 pm beginning April 21. Donning his signature pith helmet, “Wild Chicago” host Ben Hollis will bring his irreverent style to this new program featuring many hidden gems and lesser-known attractions throughout the state.

One of the sites profiled will be Benton’s Hard Day’s Night Bed and Breakfast. The episode will also feature an exclusive interview with George Harrison’s sister, Louise, who will share home movies of the very young Beatle visiting the Illinois town in the 1960’s. Also sharing the spotlight will be the Jane exhibit at Rockford’s Burpee Museum of Natural History, Cahokia Mounds, Peoria’s Wildlife Prairie State Park, and Bill Shea’s Route 66 Gas Station Museum.

Also beginning this spring, www.enjoyillinois.com visitors will be treated to a new microsite called “Onscreen Illinois” featuring destinations and attractions where movies have been filmed statewide. From recent blockbusters such as “Batman Begins” to Chicago classics like “The Blues Brothers” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Illinois has a rich film history to tout. Travelers will learn about Illinois landmarks such as Woodstock’s Town Square, which is prominently featured in “Groundhog Day,” and the Illinois State Capitol, a key location in “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde.” Continued >

Industry Insider: Kim Rosendahl

To help you get to know who’s who in Illinois tourism, ITN profiles an industry leader each month. This month, we introduce Kim Rosendahl, Director of Tourism for the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.

As director of tourism for the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kim Rosendahl leads the development of strategic planning and marketing programs for the international and domestic leisure tourism markets. She also spearheads the Springfield Commission on International Visitors, which is affiliated with the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., and provides professional programming and hosting services for international dignitaries visiting Springfield during federally sponsored U.S. visits. Her other responsibilities include advertising, sales and collateral material development, visitor publication development, packaging programs, Web site development, lead generation programs and public relations. Additionally, Rosendahl oversees the Bureau’s Visitor Services department, managing all consumer fulfillment as well as the onsite visitor center operation.

Over the past eight years, Rosendahl has played a vital role in implementing a marketing program to bring Springfield into the international tourism arena. As part of that program, she successfully formed marketing partnerships with Chicago and St. Louis. She also facilitated the development and implementation of the Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project and the National Scenic Byway to build Route 66 travel as a destination driver for Illinois.

While she has experienced many milestones throughout her career, Rosendahl is particularly proud of last summer’s marketing campaign, which targeted travelers from St. Louis and Chicago. This was the first time a major partnership program was formed between the Springfield CVB, the Springfield Hotel and Lodging Association, the Illinois State Fair, Amtrak and the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. Together they pooled resources to increase overnight stays during the summer months, a period that had experienced a downturn in occupancy since 9/11. The campaign had a major impact on the city, resulting in a large number of three-day, two-night packages being sold in June, July and August. The campaign was also recently recognized at the 2006 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism. Plans are already underway for a similar promotion this coming summer. Continued >