(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – An old friend from Springfield told a state Senate panel Friday about the need to pump up Illinois tourism.

“On behalf of the Illinois Destinations Association,” said Cory Jobe, “we urge the administration and the General Assembly to increase funding for tourism promotion to maximize the benefits to Illinois’ economy.”

Jobe, a former Springfield alderman and former state tourism director, is now in charge of the convention and visitors bureau in the Alton area.

“In terms of return on investment,” said Jobe, “every dollar spent on Illinois’ marketing campaigns yielded $91 in visitor spending and generated $10 in state and local tax revenues.” The problem, says Jobe, is that while hotel tax revenue has risen over the last five years, the state’s general revenue fund — and not state and local tourism efforts — has been the beneficiary.

The interim director of Choose Chicago said potential international visitors – including members of associations which have conferences in the state’s largest city – are turned off by what they are hearing from Washington and are not coming either in protest or out of fear.

There’s a lot riding on it all. The leader of the Quad Cities’ tourism agency says the money out-of-towners spend is like gold.

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