PEORIA — Governor JB Pritzker is singing the praises of Illinois' booming travel industry, as he addressed a crowd of industry hotshots during the Illinois Governor's Conference on Travel & Tourism, an event taking place in Peoria for the first time this year. Pritzker took the stage at the Peoria Civic Center, where more than 360 tourism professionals gathered to exchange ideas and strategies on pushing the state's lucrative travel and hospitality scene to new heights.
"As Governor, I'm always proud to boast Illinois' impressive tourism industry, which thrives as a cultural and economic benefit to our state," Pritzker said, his chest puffing with state pride. According to the state chief, Illinois raked in a jaw-dropping $44 billion from 111 million visitors in 2022. DCEO Director Kristin Richards added more fuel to the fire, claiming the industry is a major economic driver.
The conference, which kicked off with the 2024 Illinois Excellence in Tourism Awards ceremony, is also proving to be an award show for Illinois' most innovative tourism initiatives. On the winner's list, shared by Illinois.gov, Chicago’s very own suds and fairways initiatives tied for Outstanding Niche Targeting in the high-budget category while Ottawa’s Visitors Center snagged the title for Budget B with their Smoketober Fest.
Besides celebrating the achievements of industry veterans, the event took a moment to shine a light on budding talents by hosting 10 Roosevelt University students, who stand as the future of the industry. "We are immensely proud of our Hospitality & Tourism Management students that were selected to attend the Illinois Governor's Conference thanks to this exciting new partnership with Enjoy Illinois," Stephanie Emrich, Assistant Teaching Professor of Hospitality Management at Roosevelt University, expressed her pride in a statement provided by Illinois.gov.
For those looking to check out what went down at the conference, or for a peek at the full list of speakers and award winners, a complete rundown of events is available with a click-through on the state’s press release.
