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The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said
Monday that tourists spent $30.8 billion last year. That's up more
than $883 million from 2007.
Over the past five years, tourists spent more than $7.8 billion,
helping to create 303,500 jobs in the travel industry.
Illinois remains the sixth most popular state among overseas
tourists. About 1.4 million overseas tourists visited Illinois
during a time when the dollar was below the euro. That's a 21
percent increase from 2007.
Chicago tourists declined to 44.21 million, 2.1 percent less than
2007's record-breaking numbers. However, those tourists increased
the number of days spent in the city by 6 percent.
[Associated Press]
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