SEE Quincy wins state tourism award

PEORIA, Ill.  — SEE Quincy, the Quincy Convention and Visitors Bureau, was honored this week at the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism.

“As Governor, I’m always proud to boast Illinois’ impressive tourism industry, which thrives as a cultural and economic benefit to our state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Thank you to all the travel and tourism professionals across Illinois, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to welcome visitors and make this industry stronger than ever before.”

SEE Quincy was recognized for its Summer Flavor Tours.

This year’s Flavor Tours will be held on Saturdays from June 1- August 31. Each tour will stop at six eateries along with two shopping stops. Flavor tour menus will change each weekend, depending on the chefs local creations and are routed through Washington Park and the Quincy Farmers market along with several summer special events held in the park. 

“Illinois’ tourism industry continues to be a significant economic driver, with 111 million visitors from around the globe spending $44 billion across our great state in 2022,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “The Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism provides an opportunity for industry professionals and leaders to share our commitment to bolstering economic development in the travel and tourism industry throughout Illinois.”

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

Each Excellence in Tourism Award category contained a Budget A for organizations with annual operating budgets of $750,000 and above, and Budget B for organizations with budgets under $750,000. 

Illinois Excellence in Tourism Award winners: 

• Outstanding Niche Targeting Budget A (TIE) – Choose Chicago – Chicago Brew Pass | Chicago Northwest – Chicago Northwest is Your Home for Golf
• Outstanding Niche Targeting Budget B – Ottawa Visitors Center – Smoketober Fest 
• Best Social Media Marketing Budget A – Great Rivers and Routes – Heartbeats of Southwest Illinois
• Best Social Media Marketing Budget B – Skydeck Chicago – Skydeck Becomes Chicago’s Biggest Cheerleader
• Best Branding Initiative Budget A – Heritage Corridor Destinations – New Year, New Brand
• Best Branding Initiative Budget B – Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – Jacksonville Illinois Rebrand
• Best Cooperative Partnership Budget A – Go Rockford – 2023 Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships—As A Partnership Between Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, BMO Center, Skating Council of IL, City of Rockford
• Best Cooperative Partnership Budget B – Art Institute of Chicago – Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: The Modern Landscape Cooperative Partnership Activation
• Best Event or Festival Budget A – Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – Stroll on State
• Best Event or Festival Budget B – SeeQuincy – Summer Flavor Tours
• Best Website Budget A – Chicago Southland CVB – VisitChicagoSouthland.com
• Best Website Budget B – Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – Jacksonville Illinois Rebrand
• Best Tourism Marketing Budget A – Visit Springfield – Kansas City Carvertise Marketing Campaign
• Best Tourism Marketing Budget B – Greater Freeport Partnership – Be A Trailblazer
• Best Printed Collateral Budget A (TIE) – Aurora Area CVB – 2023 Aurora Area Go Guide | Great Rivers and Routes – Discover the Mother Road Passport
• Best Printed Collateral Budget B – Rendleman Orchards – Orchard & Times – A Special Edition Newspaper Celebrating 150 Years
• Best PR Campaign Budget A – Heritage Corridor Destinations – The Great American Road Trip
• Best PR Campaign Budget B (TIE) – Ravenswood Chicago – Public Relations campaign for Malt Row in the Ravenswood Corridor by the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce | Ottawa Visitors Center – Your Hometown
• Best of Show (highest score across all categories) – Meet Chicago Northwest – Chicago Northwest is Your Home for Golf