tourism

BELVIDERE, Ill. (AP) — Leaders in Belvidere are hoping a planned ice rink will help boost downtown businesses. The Riverside Ice Arena and warming house are scheduled to open in December at Doty Park. The Rockford Register Star reports that it was part of a $3 million update to the park...

By the time you've read this, it should all be gone. Gum, gum, and more gum is being steam-cleaned off Seattle's famous "Gum Wall," near Pike Place Market. Over the last 20 or so years, it's estimated that Seattle residents and visitors have deposited over 1 million pieces of gum on the wall...

Visitors to Winnebago county have set a record. In particular, a spending record. How does a $340 million injection into the local economy sound? Thanks to a 6.3% increase over the year before, we have enjoyed the highest percentage increase in tourism of all the state's major metro areas...

Will Stevenson -- Illinois Radio Network Tourism remains one of the biggest industries in the state of Illinois, and it keeps getting bigger. State Tourism Director, Springfield’s Cory Jobe, says nearly 110,000,000 people visiting the state last year, a new record, generating $2...

What are your thoughts on tourism in and around the Rockford area? If you haven't given it much thought, don't worry, many of your friends and neighbors have. What's more is that they think it's highly valuable to the local community, according to a new survey commissioned by The Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and conducted by Health Systems Research of the University of Illinois Co

In one of the more unusual branding ideas I think I've ever seen, the great state of South Dakota has a new pitch that's aimed at attracting millennials. It's breaks down to this: Moving to South Dakota is easier than moving to Mars. Well, they've got "truth in advertising" going for them...

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau will celebrate 30 years of destination marketing and tourism growth during the organization’s 30th Anniversary Annual Luncheon on Wednesday, May 6, at Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center. The pu...

You might not think of the Rockford area as a tourism mecca, but the numbers say there are an incredible number of people visiting the region. In fact, in 2013 a record numbers of tourists made their way to Winnebago County. In total, area sites and attractions welcomed about 6...

Jim Anderson -- Illinois Radio Network Tourism in Illinois totaled 105.7 million visitors last year. This is all the people whose travel destination was Illinois, for business or leisure, whether they came from in-state, out-of-state or another country...