Visitor spending in Rockford and Winnebago County reached a record-breaking $515.4 million in 2023, capping three years of growth and topping pre-pandemic spending of $483 million in 2019.
"The Rockford region continues to grow as a destination for travel, and we have no doubt 2024 and 2025 will be banner years due to exciting new attractions and events like the Hard Rock Casino opening and the city’s hosting of IRONMAN 70.3 Rockford next June," said John Groh, president/CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our team is laser focused on marketing and promoting our region as an exciting place to visit and a great place to live.”
Statewide, Illinois welcomed 112.4 million visitors in 2023, generating 278,200 tourism-related jobs and $82.6 billion in total economic impact.
The local increase in spending also contributed to employment and payroll growth, resulting in the creation of 74 new positions for local individuals for a total of 4,654 jobs supported by tourism and $165 million in payroll directly supported by visitors. Further, visitor spending contributed $14.2 million in local tax revenue and $33.3 million in state tax revenue.
“Tourism is big business in Illinois and Rockford,” Groh said. “It fuels our economy with jobs, new businesses and so much more. If we didn’t have tax dollars generated by visitors, it would take an extra $1,300 in taxes from each Illinois household to cover the difference. That’s a significant illustration of tourism’s impact.”
In addition to new Rockford and Winnebago County attractions, Groh said his team is getting ready to celebrate the RACVB’s 40th anniversary in September with the unveiling of its Thrive 2035 Destination Master Plan, providing recommendations and a path forward for tourism growth over the next decade.
Responding to the news, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara stated, “I’m thrilled to see visitor spending continues to grow. Whether it’s visiting our local restaurants, shops and attractions or staying in our hotels, visitors contribute tremendously to the economy which improves the quality of life for our residents. I’m optimistic tourism will increase in the years to come, especially with execution of the new 10-year destination master plan.”
The tourism and economic impact information is part of a comprehensive annual report released by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, compiled by Tourism Economics, a leading global research firm specializing in measuring visitor numbers and their impact on the Illinois' economy.
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