July 31--Illinois, which has seen statewide tourism grow for four consecutive years, is looking to keep the momentum going by launching a new lifestyle travel magazine.
The magazine was one of several initiatives announced by officials at the Illinois Office of Tourism who hit the road this week to highlight some of the state's diverse tourist destinations. The four-day, 12-stop tour covered a lot of ground, from a golf course in downstate Marion to a brewing company in Rockford. The closest it got to Chicago was the Elgin Artspace Lofts and Hofbr䵨aus Chicago in Rosemont on Thursday.
Last year, the state hosted more than 109 million visitors, up 3.5 percent over 2013. That pumped more than $36 billion in travel spending into the state's economy, officials said.
"The ongoing increase in visitors to Illinois year after year demonstrates that both leisure and business travelers are considering Illinois a premier travel destination, a true testament that the industry's efforts to support and promote travel to Illinois are paying off," Cory Jobe, director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, said in a statement.
During the tour, Jobe touted several new initiatives to boost tourism including "Illinois Made," a program this fall focusing on the state's inventors, artists, performers and innovators.
In the spring, the Illinois Office of Tourism will launch Enjoy, a lifestyle-format Illinois travel magazine that will be published twice a year. The magazine will feature content and experiences meant to inspire travel in Illinois. An interactive digital version of the magazine will appear on enjoyillinois.com.
rchannick@tribpub.com
