Published on : Wednesday, August 7, 2019
The tourism success of McHenry County is credited with supporting 1,720 local jobs, along with $8.32 million in local tax revenue, a 2.2% raise.
The statistics are part of Illinois Office of Tourism data published in late July. Jan Kemmerling, the acting director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, explained that both expenditures, international as well as domestic travel reached $41.7 billion in 2018, a $2 billion boost up to the economy of Illinois since 2017. In 2018, over 117 million visitors came to Illinois, the eighth year at a stretch in terms of state’s record tourism growth.
Jaki Berggren, executive director of Visit McHenry County, mentioned that it is amazing to see Visit McHenry County’s efforts showing results in the numbers.
“Due to the marketing efforts of Visit McHenry County, tourism has increased in our area for the ninth year in a row,” she said. “We continue to generate high quality visitor resources and stay engaged on social media. As we move into the next three years with a new strategic plan and soon, new branding, we are excited to see these numbers continue to grow.”
Statewide, visitor spending added 5,200 jobs, the Illinois Office of Tourism data show.
“Tourism is a critical part of our economy, helping to boost local and state tax revenue and create jobs,” Kemmerling said. “From scenic road trips to stunning state parks, amazing family-friendly attractions and spectacular nightlife, Illinois offers incredible experiences for visitors all year long.”
“Fast Facts” about Illinois tourism in 2018:
Of Illinois’ 114.6 million domestic visitors, 16% were for business and 84% for leisure;