QCVB wins Illinois Office of Tourism award

CHICAGO — The 2021 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism kicked off Monday at Navy Pier in Chicago with an awards ceremony honoring tourism leaders’ contribution to the industry including special recognition for how communities responded throughout the pandemic.

The Quincy Area Convention and Visitors Bureau was given the award for best social media marketing (for organizations with budgets of less than $500,000) for its Best Postcard Pic FB Contest + Inside Guide.

The new Silver Lining Stories initiative this year awards tourism attractions and business owners who rallied to support their communities and innovated under extremely challenging circumstances as they navigated the pandemic. Honorees were selected by industry peers who voted via the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism Facebook page.

“We’ve deployed more than $1 billion in relief to more than 10,000 Illinois businesses in hundreds of cities and towns throughout our state,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “We’ve provided 7,500 hospitality grants totaling $265 million through the Business Interruption Grants and Back to Business Grants. And we’re distributing grants aimed at new and returning festivals and tourism attractions everywhere in our state.”

“Congratulations to the small businesses and community groups who were nominated for the Silver Lining Stories. Their stories spotlight the ingenuity, resilience and resourcefulness we saw in the tourism industry and across Illinois as folks pivoted to help each other and be in service to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sylvia I. Garcia, acting director of the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

Silver Lining Stories categories include:

• Best Support for Essential Workers – Winner: Project Front Line, nominated by Visit McHenry County, Organizations, individuals or businesses that stepped up for essential workers and helped make their lives better.

• Most Engaged Community Partner – Winner: Vine Street Market, farmers market at O’Fallon Station, nominated by ILLINOISouth Tourism, Individual, business or organization that supported their community in multiple ways over a period of time.

• Most Innovative Pandemic Startup  – Winner: Takeout 25, nominated by Visit Oak Park, Travel/tourism business that successfully launched during COVID and created a sustainable business

• Best Pivot – Winner:  Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, nominated by Southernmost Illinois Tourism, Business or individual that changed their business model during one of the largest economic, human & health pandemics, and innovated as a result.

The Illinois Excellence in Tourism Awards were also presented to celebrate the most innovative tourism marketing initiatives from convention and tourism bureaus (CVB) throughout the state, prior to the pandemic. The award ceremony was hosted by Val Warner, the Emmy Award-winning co-host of Windy City Weekend on ABC 7.

“It is an incredible honor to be able to recognize our tourism partners across the state who work tirelessly to promote Illinois as a premier tourist destination,” said Karla Flannery, deputy director of the Illinois Office of Tourism.

Travel and tourism professionals from around the country judged submissions in eight categories, ranging from best social media marketing to best event or festival, with one exceptional entry receiving best of show.

Each category contained a Budget A for organizations with annual operating budgets of $500,000 and above, and Budget B for organizations with budgets under $500,000.

Illinois Excellence in Tourism Award winners:

• Best Niche Targeting Budget A – Heritage Corridor CVB, 2019 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail        
• Best Niche Targeting Budget B – Ottawa Visitors Center, Local Food Restaurant Week
• Best Niche Targeting Budget B – Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, History in Your Backyard 
• Best Social Media Marketing Budget A – Galena CVB, Facebook milestone Galena
• Best Social Media Marketing Budget B – Quincy Area CVB, Best Postcard Pic FB Contest + Inside Guide