Tourism and hospitality are big businesses in Illinois, and Governor JB Pritzker intends to keep it that way. In October 2023, he and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced two tourism grant programs worth $15.4 million to support and enhance tourism-related projects, events and festivals across the state. The $10.8 million Tourism Attractions Grant Program funds improvements to tourism attractions so they will increase their economic impact. The $4.6 billion Tourism Private Sector Grant Program helps organizations attract and host events and festivals. Private entities must match grants awarded by DCEO.
“As our tourism industry continues to bounce back from the pandemic, I’m happy to announce another $15.4 million in tourism funding so we can keep breaking records and displaying Illinois values of resilience and strength on an international scale,” said Gov. Pritzker when announcing the grants.
Twenty local tourism organizations around Illinois were recipients of the Tourism Private Sector Grant Program. Among other events, the funds helped support the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race in Madison and the Formula 1 Powerboat Racing Championship in Alton, on the Mississippi River, in June.
Swim, Bike, Run in Rockford
Such funding is also helping bring the world-renowned IRONMAN triathlon to Rockford — its first ever appearance in Illinois. DCEO is awarding an $800,000 grant to the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau so the city can host the IRONMAN 70.3 Rockford-Illinois triathlon taking place from 2025 to 2027. DCEO says the event will attract nearly 3,000 athletes and 15,000 visitors for each race and will have an economic impact of roughly $45 million.
“Rockford has shown itself to be a charming midwestern destination city with an abundance of outdoor recreation,” said Eric Atnip, race director for the event, in a June 24th release naming Rockford as the host city. “We are excited to partner with Go Rockford to offer this exciting new option on the North American IRONMAN 70.3 circuit for our many dedicated athletes. We can’t wait for athletes to come experience this welcoming community and see what makes Rockford so special in 2025.”
“The record growth in international visitors is a testament to the strength of Illinois’ tourism industry.”
— Kristin Richards, Director, DCEO
Meanwhile, hotel revenues reached a record nearly $308 million in Fiscal Year 2023, which is higher than the pre-pandemic record reached in 2019. Illinois welcomed 111 million visitors in 2022 — 14 million more than in 2021. DCEO also tracks visitors’ spending. They spent $44 billion in 2022, or 91% of what they spent in 2019.
Passport Control
In 2023, according to DCEO, 2.11 million international visitors came to Illinois, adding nearly $2.7 billion to Illinois’ economy.
“The tourism sector plays a vital role in Illinois’ economy, driving job creation, economic growth and supporting our small businesses and communities across the state,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards, announcing the numbers in May. “The record growth in international visitors is a testament to the strength of Illinois’ tourism industry and its ability to attract visitors from around the globe.”
DCEO reports that the top five markets for visitation to Illinois in 2023 included Canada, Mexico, India, the United Kingdom and Germany. According to its analysis:
Canada emerged as the leading market for international visitation, with an impressive increase from 425,000 to 627,000 visitors, representing a substantial 48% growth.
Overseas visitors (defined as visitors not from Canada and Mexico) also showed significant growth, surging from 963,000 visitors in 2022 to 1,347,000 in 2023, marking a 40% increase.
India demonstrated substantial growth in visitors to Illinois, with an increase of 55% from 2019 to 2023.
Mexico contributed to the upward trend, with visitation numbers climbing from 164,000 to 183,000, reflecting a notable 12% rise.
Illinois attributes much of the success of its tourism and hospitality industry to its “Middle of Everything” tourism campaign, which it launched in 2022. Data from Longwoods International says the campaign has resulted in 2 million additional trips and $1 billion in tourism-related spending.
