Tourism revenues boost Southern Illinois economy
The Illinois Office of Tourism has announced that both international and domestic travel expenditures reached $39.5 billion in 2017, which was a $1.1 billion boost to the state’s economy since 2016.
Visitors to the state hit an all time high in 2017 with an additional 1.6 million travelers from 2016 contributing to an increase of visitor spending, tax revenue and local jobs.
Carol Hoffman, executive director of the Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau, has shared an update on tourism’s impact on the region’s economy.
The Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau is the certified bureau working with the Illinois Office of Tourism to promote the Southernmost 10 counties of Illinois, including Union County.
Southernmost Illinois played a role in the state’s added economic domestic growth, with $225.8 million in travel expenditures (a 2.6 percent increase) and $7.97 million in local tax revenue (a 2.8 percent increase).
More than 6,000 jobs were created across the state as a result of visitor spending, with 30 of them in Southernmost Illinois.
“Illinois is the perfect destination for anyone looking for a new experience, whether it’s an outdoor adventure, a scenic road trip, incredible nightlife, or a family-friendly activity: there truly is something for everybody,” said Cory Jobe, director of the Illinois Office of Tourism.
“The added boost in state and local tax revenue is a testament to the continued impact that tourism continues to have on Illinois.”
The quality of life for local residents is greatly enhanced by tourism promotions and development, Hoffman said.
“Visitors are discovering the amazing adventures in Shawnee Forest Country. In addition to the outdoor activities, they are discovering the area wineries and breweries, and enjoy staying in unique cabins, cottages, inns, tree houses and a variety of vacation rentals.”
Hoffman shared the following information about Illinois tourism in 2017:
Every $1 invested in Illinois tourism generates $9 in economic impact for the state.
Illinois welcomed 111 million domestic visitors.
Of Illinois’ 111 million domestic visitors, 17 percent were for business and 83 percent were for leisure.
In the past 10 years, domestic travel to Illinois has increased by 23 million visitors.
The visitor expenditures generated by domestic visitors supported 308,490 jobs in 2017, which was an increase of 6,040 jobs since 2016.
Domestic travelers spent $36.3 billion in Illinois during 2017, a 3.3 percent increase from 2016.
The Illinois Office of Tourism receives domestic visitor volume estimates from DK Shifflet and international visitor numbers from Tourism Economics. Visitor expenditures, tax revenue and jobs numbers come from U.S. Travel Association.