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.
Our theme, “The Benefits of Travel,” was the topic of a recent article published by the Travel Industry Association (TIA), "The Benefits Are Everywhere: The Personal Benefits of Travel and Taking a Vacation." It discussed how travel is essential to our health, relationships and even our careers. The article reported astonishing statistics: an annual vacation can cut a person's risk of heart attack by 50 percent, and three out of four executives believe that travel helps prevent burnout and improves job performance. Leisure has been found to contribute to overall well being, so the lesson is clear. Don't forget to go on a summer getaway yourself.
Travel also has a proven benefit to the economy, as IBOT's Jan Kemmerling demonstrated with her Road Show presentation on the 2007 economic impact numbers. Tourism-related employment is up in Illinois, marking our largest one-year increase since 9/11. We also saw state and local tax revenue rise by $92.5 million and domestic economic impact reach $27.9 billion, our record highest level.
Brendan Riley from our advertising agency, JWT, wrapped up the presentations with a look at our summer advertising campaign with its new print and TV ads as well as the latest additions to our highly successful Offbeat Illinois poster campaign.
There was exciting news to share, including Chicago's being named one of the final four candidate cities for the 2016 Olympics. It was also great to see the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area legislation signed into law. This additional funding is very welcome as we head into our various Lincoln anniversary celebrations.
On behalf of IBOT, I would like to sincerely thank all the industry partners who welcomed our group and helped make Road Show such a great success! Thanks also to our partner agencies for helping us showcase all the benefits of travel.
Lastly, we would also like to express our concern to those areas affected by the recent floods. We know you are working hard to rebuild your communities, and the Illinois tourism industry would like to thank you for your dedication to protecting and preserving this vital part of our state.
Jan Kostner