How can the suburbs keep tourists running back? New technology, great attractions

THE Convention and Visitors Bureau based in Schaumburg Meet Chicago Northwest not only marks its 40th anniversary, but it joins similar agencies across the suburbs in charting a recovery from the biggest challenge in their history: the COVID-19 pandemic.

All are grateful for the opportunities for growth provided by the $22.5 million in new state budget grants for tourism in Illinois — a $7.5 million increase over last year — which they say reflects recognition of its economic importance.

Chicago Northwest President Heather Larson said this public funding is to be used to promote her group of eight municipalities to potential visitors from at least 50 miles away, while money from organizations can be spent locally.

So while suburbanites may hear ads featuring actor John Goodman touting St. Louis attractions, northwest suburbs are promoted there, as well as in Minneapolis, Washington, DC, and California. .

Suburban offices link their messaging to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s “Middle of Everything” campaign, Larson said.

Originally dubbed the Greater Woodfield Convention & Visitors Bureau in 1983, Meet Chicago Northwest promotes attractions and hospitality businesses in Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Itasca, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Schaumburg, Streamwood, and Wood Dale.

Before the pandemic, the region overcame the non-pedestrian-friendly suburban stereotype by attracting meetings and trade shows to venues such as the Schaumburg convention center.

But the rise of entertainment, dining and shopping plans in Area 90 North of Schaumburg — including Indoor karting and Andretti gameswhich is slated to open next to the Renaissance Hotel this year — should make those efforts more successful, Larson said.

“It’s going to be a game-changer,” she said.

Arlington Heights hadn’t had many opportunities to mourn the loss of Arlington Park before the possibility of another lucrative tourist opportunity — a Chicago Bears stadium — entered the planning stages, Larson said. .

Monitoring the return of tourism

Hotel room reservations have long been the primary means of determining the appeal of area attractions to visitors, but technology is about to add another.

While the postcodes of ticket buyers for Schaumburg Boomers Games Or Shows from medieval times were easier to follow, this was less true for visitors to Woodfield Shopping Centerdinners at Arlington Alfresco from Arlington Heights or the participants of Elk Grove Village Free Mid-Summer Classics Concert Series.

The five Cook County suburban visitor offices will launch a Tourism Alive program that uses cellphone data from visitors’ GPS-equipped devices.

“It will give us a pretty good window into how far people have travelled,” Larson said.

While pent-up demand for leisure travel and weddings rebounded from the pandemic, weekday business travel has been a bit slower to recover.

That left hotel occupancy down about 5% from 2019 levels. But officials believe that will soon change.

“Everyone is sick of Zoom,” Larson said. “Companies are investing in training. People want to come back in person with other like-minded people.”

Business + leisure travel

Linda Scheck, Director of Tourism for the Village of Hoffman Estatesestimates that 2024 will see the full return of business travel.

“I honestly think that as we emerge asleep from this COVID era, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting,” Scheck said. “When the wedding market came back, it came back with a roar.”

Indeed, leisure travel alone was enough for Hoffman Estates to see post-pandemic travel revenue surpass that before the shutdowns.

The Now Arena is the number one generator of stays at the Village’s nine hotels, and Hoffman Estates just received a $500,000 matching grant from the state to improve the Village Green and its popular Hidden Brew Garden just outside.

Although Hoffman Estates is not a member of either agency, the village works cooperatively with Meet Chicago Northwest in the east and the Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau west, Scheck said.

DuPage County

The DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureaumeanwhile, relies not only on its proximity to O’Hare International Airport, but also on its scenic downtown areas, attractive wedding venues and scenic outdoor landscapes to lure visitors to more than 100 hotels around the county, said executive director Beth Marchetti.

Like its neighbors, DuPage has seen a faster recovery in leisure and wedding travel than business travel. But the county has already seen a hotel sell out ahead of next year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago and is busy preparing for the Medina Country Club accommodation of the presidents cup and the Celebrating 100 years of Route 66 in 2026, Marchetti said.

International tourists, who generally spend more money than domestic visitors, represent a market with high growth potential, she added.

The DuPage office will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2025.

Marchetti said she and many of her industry colleagues take their hats off to the influence of late lawmaker and business executive Jim Reilly, who died last year at 77. His work to make Illinois and the Chicago area an attractive place to visit included making McCormick Place and Navy Pier what they are today.

“Jim Reilly had a vision to make Illinois a tourist state,” Marchetti said. “He was a pioneer in making Illinois a truly attractive state for visitors and in making tourism an economic engine.

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Learn about suburban attractions

Meet Chicago Northwest will set up tables showcasing many of the northwest suburban attractions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Grand Court of Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.