I hope that all of you had a joyous holiday season and that you are eager to welcome 2006. One area we’re all excited about this year is our niche marketing program, which is gearing up for a number of projects to ensure a bright future for these vital industry efforts.

First up is Group Tour and Travel, which will spotlight the growing student and youth market. According to the Student Youth Travel Association, Chicago is the third most popular student/youth destination in the country, while Illinois ranks seventh among all states. Beginning this month, we are developing a brochure and Web microsite targeting this important market.

IBOT will continue providing a number of group travel sponsorships this year, including the American Bus Association, Bank Travel and the Heartland Travel Showcase. Also, keep an eye out for the annual group tour press release with its new theme, “What’s New in Group Tour and Travel.” The release will focus on keeping our newest group tour products in the minds of tour operators.

Sports Illinois is busy working on a direct mail piece for 2,500 of the state’s key sports customers, designed to encourage them to choose Illinois for their next sports destination event. Two sponsorships will be promoted: one through the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association and one through the National Association of Sports Commission.

In addition, Meeting and Conventions will execute sponsorships with the Religious Conference Management Association and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

Finally, IBOT will offer a Spa Packages Sweepstakes to give meetings and conventions promoters an incentive to select Illinois as their event location. Online postcard offers will be sent to 40,000 meeting executives this March to request their participation. Spa packages will also be featured on the Meet in Illinois homepage in March and April, so if there are any spas in your area that might be appropriate for this promotion, please let us know. Continued >

Industry Insider: Tammy Barry

To help you get to know who’s who in Illinois tourism, ITN profiles an industry leader each month. This month, we introduce Tammy Barry, vice president of marketing and business development for Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center.

Tammy Barry began her career in Illinois tourism five years ago as vice president of marketing and business development for Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center in Utica. When asked about her education, she laughs and says, “If you had asked me in college if I would be doing what I’m doing now, my answer would have been ‘no,’ unless I could be Vicki from ‘The Love Boat.’” Tammy is a graduate of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in journalism.

Giving up her dream of working on “The Love Boat,” Tammy ventured into the Fortune 100 world and joined SBC/Cingular Wireless as a regional director of business sales. After 10 years with SBC, Tammy decided to embark on a career that was, in her words, “much more fun and not so corporate!” Some might say Tammy was destined to work in the tourism industry and at Starved Rock in particular. She’s familiar with large groups as the youngest of 14 children and she has visited many destinations in the United States and surrounding countries. Starved Rock was right up her alley (not to mention in her backyard)! At the same time, Starved Rock owner Terry Cross realized that he needed to take the Northern Illinois landmark to the next level. “The park was the crown jewel of all state parks,” he said. “But we wanted to polish it and make it even better.” Terry needed someone to supervise Starved Rock’s marketing, sales, events and Web sites, as well to ensure higher levels of customer service. Terry interviewed Tammy and she joined the Starved Rock team in 2000.
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