News You Can Use

IBOT Lures Travelers to Illinois This Spring with Special Planning Tools and Incentives

On Feb. 23, IBOT officially launched a spring break program designed to encourage travel throughout the state with new planning tools and special incentives. The program offers special Chicago hotel rates as well as Illinois KidVentures—new kid-centric travel itineraries that will help families plan fun, memorable spring getaways. Visitors can learn about all Illinois offers this spring by visiting www.enjoyillinois.com/springbreak.

Travelers considering a trip to Chicago this spring will discover a host of limited-time hotel deals on www.enjoyillinois.com/springbreak. More than 30 Chicago hotels will offer spring rates starting as low as $89, March 17–April 15 and many will include additional amenities and services such as complimentary breakfast and valet parking.

Additionally, families will find planning a spring break getaway to Illinois is now more inviting with Illinois KidVentures. Families can explore a special Illinois KidVentures Web site on www.enjoyillinois.com/springbreak created especially to excite children about all of the fun attractions the state has to offer. The interactive site showcases eight Illinois KidVentures bookable travel itineraries and will be further enhanced during March to offer downloadable games and a calendar of events.

This spring, Illinois KidVentures invites families to:

Experience the culture of Chicago with a Safari in the City KidVenture. Explore world-class museums and come face to face with a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Komodo dragon or an Egyptian mummy; take in performances of "Wicked," "Jersey Boys" or the Joffrey Ballet; and swing by Navy Pier to ride in a sky-high Ferris wheel, shop and take a boat tour. (Chicago)
Take a bite out of Chicago with a Yummy Tummies KidVenture—where families can explore a city known for signature foods like hot dogs, deep-dish pizza and cheesecake. Embark on a chocolate tour of the city’s sweetest shops, then become chef for a day at the Chopping Block and learn how to whip up dishes the whole family will love. (Chicago/Chicagoland)
Enjoy days of excitement in the Chicago suburbs with a Splash and Explore KidVenture. Swim, slide and ride at tropical indoor water park CoCo Key, cheer on your favorite knight while feasting at Medieval Times, and sit in the driver’s seat of a racecar and speed down a virtual racetrack at GameWorks. (Chicagoland)
Uncover the prehistoric past or discover the secrets of outer space without leaving Illinois during a Whiz Kids KidVenture! Go on a space mission at the Challenger Learning Center in Woodstock. Head to Rockford to see dinosaurs Jane and Homer at the Burpee Museum and conduct science experiments at the Discovery Center Museum. (Northern)
Visit Lincoln’s old stomping grounds and learn about one of the most important U.S. presidents with an Abe’s Adventures KidVenture. Dress up like Abe and play with Lincoln Logs at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum or visit the Lincoln Home in Springfield. (Central)
Spot animals of all shapes and sizes on a wild adventure getaway through Western Illinois with a Tails and Trails KidVenture. See Illinois in all of its natural glory at the Wildlife Prairie State Park, the Peoria Zoo and Rock Island Trail State Park. (Western)
Explore the great outdoors in Southern Illinois during a Cliffhangers KidVenture. Hike through the forests at Cave-In-Rock State Park or Garden of the Gods, bike the Tunnel Hill State Trail and go horseback riding at Honey Bee Stables. (Southern)
Grab a compass and retrace the paths of famous explorers and early settlers on an Exploration Vacation KidVenture. See where Lewis and Clark began their journey at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center or explore the remnants of Native American settlements at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. (Southwest)

IBOT’s 2008 spring break program is supported by an aggressive media relations program and online advertising that highlight spring travel throughout the state. For more information, visit www.enjoyillinois.com/springbreak.

IBOT Advertisements Updated for Spring/Summer 2008

IBOT has recently put the finishing touches on its spring/summer 2008 advertising campaign. The campaign consists of a combination of television, print, radio, out-of-home and online advertising that will launch in March in various markets throughout the Midwest.

IBOT’s spring/summer television ads include new footage shot at 25 locations throughout the state, as well as new music and logo treatment, but have retained the popular “signature whistle” and the sleek, black-and-white format. The new 2008 spots showcase the state’s outdoor offerings, romance destinations and Chicago activities/attractions while encouraging consumers to book a 3-Day Getaway in Illinois. Beginning in June, IBOT's television ads will be hitting the big screen! The new 30-second spots will be showcased on 900 movie theater screens at cinemas throughout Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and St. Louis.

IBOT’s print advertisements will feature destinations such as Chicago, Galena, Springfield, Shawnee National Forest and water parks this spring and summer. Be sure to keep your eyes open for these great new ads!

Tour Illinois Promotes Group Travel Offerings at ABA Marketplace 2008

The American Bus Association (ABA) held its annual Marketplace Feb. 2–7 in Virginia Beach, Va. Marketplace is a networking and educational event that invites destination management organizations, hoteliers, restaurateurs and attractions to meet with tour operators to promote their offerings for motorcoach group travel. This year, Tour Illinois, the statewide destination marketing organization that specifically promotes to the group travel industry, highlighted Illinois using the theme, “Did You Know… .” The theme allowed Tour Illinois to entice tour operators with fun facts about some of the state’s popular offbeat attractions such as the Dick Tracy Museum in Woodstock, the Tempel Lipizzans in Wadsworth and more.

Tour Illinois also hosted a dine-around allowing state representatives to network with operators during an exciting, memorable event that showcased Illinois. Participating companies included Pro Tran LLC, Mirage Tours, Werner Tours and Krug Tours. Tour Illinois also gave away Dick Tracy hats to all attendees and raffled Offbeat Illinois gift baskets.

For more information about Tour Illinois, visit www.tourillinois.org.

Hispanic Travelers Gain New Resource for Planning and Booking Illinois Trips

Illinois is responding to the growing number of Hispanics going online by developing a new and innovative Spanish Web site, www.disfrutaillinois.com, that will help Hispanic travelers explore Illinois. The site is part of the IBOT’s Hispanic campaign, "¡Illinois. Vive la Emoción!" (Illinois. Live the Emotion!), and will assist visitors from the very beginning planning stages to the end booking phase.

The most enticing part of the site is an unconventional home page where a kitchen setting will introduce site visitors to two couples. Each of the four people on the home page will represent a different personality type (amiable, analytical, expressive and assertive), making the site accessible and appealing to all trip planners. Flash technology is employed to make the site more interactive and engaging.

Following the introduction, visitors will be free to explore the information on the site including 3-Day Getaways, top destinations by region, brochures and maps, features, a calendar of events and fun facts. A new section, titled “Just for Kids” will also be added to feature destinations and attractions that will appeal to families.

The Web site is scheduled to launch in May 2008.

IBOT Continues to Bare Its “Soul”

IBOT continues to promote the rich ethnic, cultural and historical diversity of Illinois to the African-American travel market.

During January and February, IBOT supported signature events celebrating the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and Black History Month through its "Soul of Illinois" initiative. Event highlights included the Chicago Sinfonietta’s “THE DREAM LIVES ON: Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” concert and reception and Navy Pier’s Black History Month series.

Additionally, IBOT’s “My Illinois” campaign continues to draw more talent and garner significant media attention. The “My Illinois” campaign, which draws on the personal experiences of celebrities from Illinois, recently welcomed its 17th addition, jazz musician and composer Orbert Davis. Additionally, the “My Illinois” narrative of former Destiny’s Child singer and Rockford native Michelle Williams garnered coverage by syndicated radio personality Doug Banks, The Atlanta Voice and the Urban Electronic Report (www.EURweb.com).

Finally, IBOT will release the new Soul of Illinois travel guide this spring, which will showcase a number of the state’s greatest treasures.

For more information about the Soul of Illinois, visit www.soulfulillinois.com.

All Roads Lead to Mein Chicago

Several exciting initiatives were unveiled at this year’s Governor’s Conference including the state’s brand new German public relations initiative, “Mein Chicago,” which celebrates all things Chicago and Illinois and the amazing people that call this state home. The phased “Mein Chicago” parallels its UK version, “MyChicago,” successfully launched in 2007. The two programs are engineered to bring to life the five key tourism pillars of Chicago and Illinois in its overseas markets: shopping, dining, music, theater/entertainment and architecture.

A German-born fashion designer, Katrin Schnabl, launched the "Mein Chicago" program on Feb. 13 as the Chicago Shopping Ambassador. Katrin’s rich history in fashion design and her teaching position at the School of the Art Institute made her a perfect fit for the program. In her German podcast, Katrin draws on her experiences here (she and her family have called Chicago home for the past four years) and her love of Chicago and Illinois for information that includes the top spots for shopping in Chicago and around the state, as well as her favorite restaurants, museums, parks and scenic drives. Photos reflecting these favorites, along with her podcast and a downloadable map, can be found on a new microsite, gochicago.com/deutsch/mychicago/katrinschnabl, where visitors can follow in Katrin’s footsteps.

The Mein Chicago program will also be fueled by a strong media engine in Germany with regional and national activities including an online blast, Berlin radio and newspaper promotion, media familiarization trips and a series of press releases. The four remaining Mein Chicago ambassadors will be announced over the next two years and will continue to bring more attention to what makes Chicago and Illinois “Simply Magnificent.”