1997llinois Tourism FactSheets

Here are some facts about the state's tourism industry in 1997:

U. S. and international travelers in Illinois spent over $19.5 billion on transportation, lodging, food, entertainment and recreation and incidentals during 1997 while traveling away from home. This represents an increase of 6.5 percent from the $18.4 billion spent in Illinois during 1996.

Expenditures:

Travelers in Illinois contributed an extra $1,326.6 million in state and local taxes in 1997 and generated over $1,919.3 million in federal taxes.

The travel-generated payroll in Illinois was more than $5.5 billion in 1997, an increase of 4.7 percent from the 1996 travel-generated payroll.

Total employment generated from these travel expenditures was 265,900 persons. The 265,900 jobs directly supported by travel and tourism in Illinois during 1997 comprised 4.6 percent of total nonagricultural employment in Illinois. On average, every $73,514 spent by travelers in Illinois directly supported one job. With indirect and induced impact added in, total employment climbs to 586,400, accounting for 1 in every 10 jobs in Illinois.

Illinois continues to rank 5th in domestic travel spending, behind California, Florida, New York and Texas. The top five Illinois counties for travel expenditures are Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and Winnebago.

Illinois is the 8th most popular US destination with 1,137,000 overseas visitors (excludes Canada and Mexico). Chicago is the 10th most popular US city with over 1,089,000 overseas visitors (excludes Canada & Mexico).

Total domestic travel to (and within) the state jumped 12 percent to 76.3 million person trips. The total US domestic travel only increased 3.2 percent in 1997. Of this total Illinois volume, leisure travelers accounted for two-thirds of the travel market and business travelers accounted for one-third (25.5 million person trips, a 6 percent increase from 1996).

Approximately 50.8 million domestic leisure person trips were made in Illinois during 1997, which represents a 15 percent growth over 1996. The volume of leisure travel to Illinois (less Chicago) was 23.6 million person trips (up 10 percent); the volume of leisure person trips to the Chicago area was 27.1 million person trips (up 19 percent). Resident leisure travel was up 20 percent and nonresident leisure travel was up 10 percent over 1996.

Leisure travelers to Illinois spent $74.90 per person per day in 1997 while the U. S. average was $81.60. Leisure travelers to the Chicago area spent $91.60 per person per day, compared to $55.20 for Illinois (less Chicago area).

Top feeder markets to Illinois in 1997 were Illinois - 30.9 percent; Missouri - 6.8 percent; Indiana - 6.7 percent; Wisconsin - 5.4 percent; Michigan - 4.7 percent.

Families (adults with children on trip) accounted for 32 percent of leisure trips to Illinois, and 27 percent of leisure trips to Illinois consisted of couples (1 Male/1 Female).

The average length of trips to Illinois was 2.1 days and 2.1 days for leisure trips to the Chicago area. The average household income of leisure travelers to Illinois was $53,800; average age of Illinois leisure travelers was 42 years; married travelers accounted for 74 percent of leisure travel to Illinois.

Hotel-motel occupancy in Illinois for 1997 was 65.4 percent; Metro Chicago was 71.7 percent.

State hotel-motel taxes liability for 1997 was $133,378,786 an increase of 9.11 percent over 1996.

Total consumer inquiries (including phone calls, mail and web site visits) were over 571,300 for 1997, a 2.4 percent increase over 1996.

Sources: The Economic Impact of Travel on Illinois Counties 1997, U.S. Travel Data Center
1997 Illinois Domestic Travel Report, D.K. Shifflet & Associates, Ltd.
Illinois Department of Revenue, Hotel Tax Liability
Tourism Industries, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Lodging Outlook, Smith Travel Research