On Aug. 7, I had the opportunity to host the Bureau’s first ever Webcast to present our initiatives for this year’s Fall-O-Ween festivities. More than 25 CVB/RTDOs called in to our conference line and logged onto their computers for the PowerPoint portion of the presentation. It was an innovative use of the latest technology and we’ve received some very positive feedback on it.

For those who were not able to join us, I’d like to share some of the key points covered and encourage all of you make the most out of promoting Fall-O-Ween, our “fifth” season. We created Fall-O-Ween to help us own the fall season and rise above the offerings of our competitors. With numerous fall festivals, Halloween events, scenic drives and agritourism activities, Fall-O-Ween gives visitors even more reasons to travel throughout the state from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31.

Fall-O-Ween provides CVBs and RTDOs an “umbrella” theme under which they can build their own packages and partnerships to drive overnight stays and increase awareness of fall tourism offerings. This partnership is a great way to add value to travel packages and help mitigate marketing costs. Additionally, a series of bookable Fall-O-Ween 3-Day Getaways are showcased on enjoyillinois.com.

Last year’s debut of Fall-O-Ween was a great success as demonstrated by the nearly 300 media placements that resulted in more than 26 million consumer impressions in publications such as USA Weekend magazine and Midwest Living. To capitalize on this momentum, our PR agency will conduct major outreach to key media outlets, including TV, radio, newspapers and magazines across the state and the Midwest. They’ll also target national media with specialized pitches.

Keep your eye on enjoyillinois.com for the return of our fall colors feature. Weekly updates provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will keep Web users up-to-date on the progress of our beautiful foliage. For a more detailed preview of the season’s excitement, this years Fall-O-Ween Guide will detail events and activities statewide. It was distributed to nearly 330,000 readers as an insert in the September issue of Midwest Living and is available at TICs, RTDOs and CVBs.

One of our first industry events to kick off the Fall-O-Ween season is the Great Performers of Illinois. From Sept. 6 – 9, more than 200 performing artists from throughout Illinois will converge at Chicago’s Millennium Park to showcase the state’s best music, dance, theater and spoken-word performance in a free four-day celebration. Sept. 9 is Tourism Day and we will be well-represented by our RTDO booths located throughout the park.

The Great Performers event also marks the official start of Illinois Wine Month, and to celebrate, wine samples will be available at the Park Grill on Sept. 9. In addition to various IGGVA-sponsored events, wineries across the state will hold their own celebrations and festivals throughout September. Be sure to remember them as you plan your own area’s Fall-O-Ween packages or cross-promotions

Thanks to all of you for your support of Fall-O-Ween and your ongoing support of the Illinois tourism industry.

Sincerely,