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Stay Illinois > Plan a Visit to Illinois > Tourism Facts
Quick Illinois Tourism Facts
Here are some quick facts and figures about the importance of tourism in the State of Illinois and Chicago:
- Illinois hosted 91 million visitors in 2006, a 6.4 percent increase over 2005.
- Of the 91 million, 71.8 million were leisure visitors—the highest ever—representing a 9 percent increase over 2005.
- More than 41 million people visited Chicago during 2006, an increase of nearly 10 percent over 2005; leisure visitors grew by 13 percent.
- Illinois is the sixth most visited state in the U.S.
- Among international travelers, it is the ninth most visited state.
- Travelers spent $26.5 billion on transportation, lodging, food, entertainment and incidentals in 2006, an increase of 8.3 percent over 2005, a record high.
- Tourism generated $1.875 billion in state and local taxes, a 6.9 percent increase, providing an additional $149 million to state and local tax coffers.
- Over the past five years, tourism has pumped almost $6 billion more into the state’s economy and added 1,800 new jobs in 2006—another record high.
- Illinois' Hotel-Motel tax receipts reached nearly $190 million, and by statute, 33.5 percent of these tax revenues are supposed to be invested in local and statewide tourism.
- Tourism generated 300,000 direct jobs and another 300,000 indirect jobs.
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