2012 Tourists Break Record for Illinois

Illinois officials announced earlier this month that Illinois' tourism sector grew in 2012 to record numbers. Domestic tourists increased 6 percent to 99 million domestic visitors who in turn generated another $31 billion for the state economy. This comes after a record 93.3 million Americans who visited the state in 2011.

The numbers for international guests won't be released until later this summer.

The following comes from the state's news release.

"Another year of record breaking numbers proves that travel is back and the tourism industry in Illinois is thriving," Governor [Pat] Quinn said. “Our world-class cultural attractions and destinations continue to attract more and more visitors to Illinois each year, which in turn directly drives the state’s economic growth."

This marks the second year in a row that Illinois’ visitor numbers broke records and outpaced the national average of 5.4 percent, highlighting the industry’s vital contributions to Illinois' economic growth, job creation and tax revenue.

Bolstered by a surge in leisure travel, the Illinois tourism industry generated nearly $31 billion in 2012 from domestic visitors alone, up 5 percent from last year’s record-breaking domestic travel expenditures of $29.5 billion. Preliminary data indicate that international visitor numbers are also on the rise. International numbers will be released later this summer.

The positive performance reflects an improving economy and Governor Quinn's targeted efforts to showcase Illinois as a travel destination. In the past two years, the Quinn Administration launched a new tourism marketing campaign, touted Illinois tourism on trade missions to Canada, China, Mexico and Brazil and worked closely with local convention and visitors bureaus across Illinois to trumpet the unique attributes of their regions.

"The tourism industry plays a vital role in growing Illinois' economy, providing valuable jobs for residents and spurring business of all sizes," Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Director Adam Pollet said.

State and local tax revenues from tourism totaled more than $2.3 billion in 2012, an increase of more than $124 million. State tax revenue rose 5.3 percent to $1.6 billion, while local tax revenue rose 6.6 percent to more than $699 million. Initial estimates indicate that the Illinois travel industry workforce grew by 1.9 percent in 2012. Final figures will be released later this summer.

"We are always looking for innovative ways to share Illinois' unique stories with the world and to encourage visitors to discover all that the state offers,” Illinois Office of Tourism Deputy Director Jen Hoelzle said. "Our efforts drive visitors to the people, places and experiences that make a trip to Illinois memorable."

The Illinois Office of Tourism directly supports the travel industry by promoting visitor travel both domestically and internationally, to help grow the tourism industry throughout the state. The Illinois Office of Tourism is funded by a percentage of the state's hotel and motel tax revenue.

Destination information, trip inspiration ideas, the 2013 Illinois Travel Guide and more can be found at www.enjoyillinois.com or by calling 1-800-2CONNECT.