From the State Travel Director
This year's Illinois Bureau of Tourism Road Show was all about "The Benefits of Travel." It turned out to be a very appropriate theme as we saw those benefits first hand in a series of press conferences held in every region of the state.
Kicking off June 9 at Chicago's Blackstone Hotel, we began our annual tour to present the accomplishments, goals and economic impact numbers of the Illinois tourism industry. Our press conference itinerary included the Southern Illinois University Museum in Carbondale, the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, the Spirit of Peoria River Boat, Rockford's Anderson Japanese Gardens and CoCo Key Water Park in Arlington Heights.
Continued...Case Study
The Illinois Great River Road National Scenic Byway
Objective
In promoting the GRR, the goal was to enhance visitor experience and encourage more visitors to travel the route. The Byway appeals to a variety of people, including history buffs, outdoor enthusiasts, those who want to enjoy the countryside, and more.
Strategy
The key attractions were categorized by theme—Heritage, Recreation, Nature and Agriculture. As a result, all of the projects selected contain one or more of these elements.
The Illinois Great River Road National Scenic Byway concentrated on developing:
- Major marketing publications, including a colorful guidebook and an upcoming Agricultural Guide to the Byway
- Both new and retrofitted interpretive kiosks with new maps, images and text
- An updated Web site and a new informational video
- An expanded photo library containing pictures of the route