To help you get to know who’s who in Illinois tourism, ITN profiles an industry leader each month. This month, we introduce Elisa Marcus, international marketing manager for the Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

Hardly needing an introduction, Elisa Marcus has been a longtime force in Illinois’ tourism industry. She has worked for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (formerly the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs) since 1991 in a variety of positions from IBOT customer service manager to DCEO assistant marketing director.

Elisa has more than ten years of experience in marketing communications for both domestic and international tourism. She is currently the senior manager of the Bureau’s multimillion-dollar international advertising and public relations programs, and is responsible for managing JWT and Edelman’s international efforts.

Upon assuming the marketing responsibilities for the Bureau’s international program, Elisa was the driving force to secure a new url and design for the Web site, www.gochicago.com. Most recently, Elisa rallied industry partners and led the effort to re-brand the Chicago/Illinois international program as "Simply Magnificent.” This initiative is a success story already, with visitor numbers up 28 percent in the UK and 10 percent in Germany.

Under the direction of former State Travel Director Donna Shaw, Elisa implemented the first program that offered live travel counselors and a 24-hour hotline to make Illinois travel information more accessible than ever before. She also played a pivotal role in the launch of Illinois' first tourism Web site, www.enjoyillinois.com. When the site launched in the mid-1990s, it was one of the only state travel sites allowing consumers to plan customized trips. While on the domestic side as publications manager, Elisa also oversaw the launch of two publications, including the Bureau’s first-ever quarterly subscription-based magazine, the award-winning Illinois NOW!, and the Illinois Weekend Adventure Guide. She was also actively involved with and responsible for numerous editions of the Illinois Travel Guide.

Throughout her state tenure, Elisa has been recognized with a variety of honors including the agency’s employee of the month. She was also involved in several integrated marketing campaigns that won national awards including an Odyssey Award for international travel advertising; an Odyssey Award for domestic travel advertising; and a Gold Effie for travel/tourism destination marketing.

A gifted artist as well as the resident IBOT graphics expert, Elisa graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in visual communications.

With a fondness for fudge and all things chocolate, Elisa has sweet dreams of someday owning a candy store. And truffles and tourism aside, if there was ever an opportunity to work in the marketing department for a major league football team—first choice obviously being the Chicago Bears—Elisa might consider a move. But for now, her favorite job by far is being an aunt to her niece, Rachel, and nephew, Jason. Elisa resides in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.