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Illinois governor announces record-breaking hotel revenues
Illinois has hit a tourism milestone. The slogan for Illinois is we are in the "middle of everything", and it appears the state is in the middle of a post-pandemic recovery on the tourism front.
CHICAGO - Illinois has hit a tourism milestone.
The slogan for Illinois is we are in the "middle of everything", and it appears the state is in the middle of a post-pandemic recovery on the tourism front.
While some numbers still lag, the state's hotel revenue hit a record $308 million at the end of June for this year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Monday.
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The last time it was close to that was in 2019.
Visitor spending is close to pre-pandemic levels, up 37% to more than $44 billion, just over $1 billion from 2019 numbers.
The Illinois Office of Tourism touted new commercials airing in 22 markets across the Midwest and beyond showcasing all the state has to offer.
"We are in markets across the country and some international markets, highlighting locations like Galena, highlighting the Shawnee National Forest, trying to make that sure when people conceive Illinois, they're not just conceiving of visiting Chicago, but they're visiting some of our downstate communities as well," said Kristin Richards, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Hotel revenue has rebounded, but occupancy rates have not.