Gov. Bruce Rauner stressed the need to open more state tourism opportunities at the yearly meeting and awards luncheon of the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau recently, according to a press release.
“I am striving for the economic reforms and regulation rollbacks that will improve Illinois’ business climate and make it easier for Illinoisans to start small businesses in the tourism industry,” Rauner said, according to the release. “As the third largest employer in Illinois, the tourism industry is vital for the state’s economy and has created 20,000 new jobs over the past two years."
More than 100 million travelers came to Illinois last year, according to the release, supporting more than 300,000 jobs.
Gov. Bruce Rauner
| 182nd Airlift Wing / Wikimedia Commons
“The governor and State have been incredibly supportive of tourism and convention initiatives here in Chicago as well as throughout Illinois,” David Whitaker, president and CEO of Choose Chicago, said in the release.
Whitaker also said the collaboration of the organization with the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Illinois Office of Tourism signifies the positive effects of concerted efforts geared toward the growth of the tourism industry.
The theme for the luncheon and meeting was “The Power of Tourism.”
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