Tourism Bureau expands to 19 counties, including Randolph County
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[
Attached and following is a press release highlighting exciting news regarding the merger of The Tourism Bureau Southwestern Illinois and the Southeastern Illinois Convention & Visitors Bureau.
This first-ever merger between two Illinois tourism bureaus has created a new entity known as the Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth, which represents the largest geographic area of any bureau in the state of Illinois. The merged bureau's service area stretches nearly 9,000 square miles and encompasses 19 counties from the Mississippi River to the Wabash River in the Southern region, and includes Randolph County. (See attached map).
With your county now being a part of the new Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth, we thought you'd be interested in this information. You and your readers may also be interested in visiting the organization's website at www.thetourismbureau.org to view a PDF of the newly released Special Edition Tourism Times, which showcases some of the many attractions, lodging, eateries, shopping destinations, outdoor spaces and events across the bureau's newly-expanded coverage area.
If you have any questions regarding the attached release, or would like to speak with a representative of the new Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth for a more in-depth story on this historic merger, please free to contact me.
Regards,
Shelene Treptow
The Hauser Group, Inc.
515 Olive St., Suite 1204
St. Louis, MO 63101
Office: 314.436.9090
Cell: 618.420.9170
For Immediate Release
Contact: Julie Hauser or jo kathmann
314-629-3887(cell) 618-397-1488
THE TOURISM BUREAU EXPANDS TO NINETEEN COUNTIES
First ever merger between two Illinois tourism bureaus creates new entity with largest geographic coverage area of any bureau in the state
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, ILL., JULY 5, 2011 . . . Effective July 1, 2011, The Tourism Bureau Southwestern Illinois and the Southeastern Illinois Convention & Visitors Bureau have merged to create the new Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth. The new region encompasses nineteen counties: Bond, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edwards, Fayette, Jasper, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Perry, Randolph, Richland, St. Clair, Wabash, Washington, Wayne and White. The merger is the first among more than 40 tourism bureaus across the state and creates a new entity representing almost 9,000 square miles, the largest geographic coverage area of any bureau in Illinois.
The Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth will office in Fairview Heights in the current space occupied by the Southwestern Bureau. To enhance the new name, a new logo has been created, adapting the Tourism Bureau Southwestern Illinois' brightly colored one. This branding has been very effective, and both boards requested that it not be altered very much. A new website is also being launched in August at www.thetourismbureau.org, which will showcase the attractions, lodging, eateries, shopping, outdoor spaces and events in all the communities across the bureau's expanded coverage area.
"Two years ago, I was approached by Ed Brumley, the Executive Director of the Southeastern CVB, about joining forces and merging our two bureaus," said jo kathmann, who will remain President/CEO of the expanded bureau. "Once both of our boards and the Illinois Office of Tourism agreed, my staff and I began touring the Southeastern counties and discovered many treasures we're looking forward to promoting."
As part of the merger, Brumley has transitioned into a new role with the Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth as Sales and Marketing Coordinator for the Eastern Division. "We are excited to have Ed as part of our team and know that our marketing efforts for our expanded service area will benefit from his knowledge of the Southeastern counties, especially since he hails from there," noted kathmann.
The geographic and cultural similarities of the two regions, particularly the rural counties, make it effective to combine marketing efforts and advertising campaigns to maximize exposure. "We take a regional approach to marketing," kathmann added. "The strong similarity between the Southeastern counties and the rural areas of Southwestern Illinois creates a good opportunity for cost-effective niche marketing for museums, wineries, antique shops, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, parks and lakes. And the urban areas in the Metro East will benefit from new visitors learning about their attractions, lodging and conference centers."
Cooperative marketing creates new destinations and stimulates economic development that creates and retains jobs. Tourism in the nineteen counties generated $940.93 million in visitor expenditures in 2009 (the most recent numbers available). The economic impact of tourism also includes 8,320 jobs and $23,160,000 in local tax receipts. "We expect these numbers to grow as we cross-promote from the Mississippi River to the Wabash River in Illinois and throughout the Midwest," said kathmann.
ILLINOISouth is an easy drive-in destination for travelers with access from six major interstates. The territory now has 7,253 hotel, motel and bed & breakfast rooms, hundreds of restaurants and unique shops, thousands of acres of lakes and parks and attractions ranging from local museums to the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site. "We know this area will be an even better destination for visitors with all the activities that are available," kathmann said.
Ongoing communication, education, service and accountability are the key successful ingredients the Tourism Bureau ILLINOISouth will use to build and maintain strong alliances and relationships with the local members of the hospitality industry and the traveling public. For more information or to receive a FREE Visitors Guide and Tourism Times newsletter, call the Tourism Bureau at 618-397-1488 or email info@thetourismbureau.org. A PDF copy of the Special Edition Tourism Times for the expanded area also is available online at www.thetourismbureau.org.
# # #
Tourism Bureau ILLINOISOUTH
Facts & Stats
· First merger ever among 47 tourism bureaus across the state.
· Encompasses 19 counties, stretching from the Mississippi River to the Wabash River in the Southern region.
· Creates a new entity representing almost 9,000 square miles, the largest geographic coverage area of any bureau in Illinois.
· Home to 7,253 hotel, motel and bed & breakfast rooms, hundreds of restaurants and unique shops, thousands of acres of lakes and parks and attractions ranging from local museums to the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site.
· The 19-county region generated $940.93 million in visitor expenditures in 2009 (the most recent numbers available).
· The economic impact of tourism in the combined region includes 8,320 jobs and $23,160,000 in local tax receipts.
Tourism remains the second leading industry in the State of Illinois and is the only industry that has economic impact in all 102 counties in the state.