The Office of Tourism, a division of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), announced a significant rise in the number of international tourists visiting the state in 2023. According to data from Tourism Economics, Illinois received 2.16 million international visitors in 2023, indicating a substantial 39% increase compared to the previous year. This surge in international visitations contributed nearly $2.7 billion to the state’s economy in 2023, reflecting a 47% increase in spending compared to the previous year.
In 2023, the top five markets for visitation to Illinois were Canada, Mexico, India, the U.K., and Germany.
Canada emerged as the leading market for international visitation, experiencing an impressive growth of 48% from 425,000 to 627,000 visitors.
Overseas visitors, excluding Canada and Mexico, also showed significant growth, increasing from 963,000 visitors in 2022 to 1,347,000 in 2023, representing a 40% rise. India demonstrated substantial growth in visitors to Illinois, with a remarkable 55% increase from 2019 to 2023.
Additionally, Mexico contributed to the upward trend, with visitation numbers rising from 164,000 to 183,000, reflecting a notable 12% increase.
In 2022, Illinois received a grand total of 111 million visitors, who collectively spent $44 billion. This figure, which is based on the latest available data, indicates a significant increase of 14 million travelers compared to the previous year, resulting in an additional expenditure of $12 billion.
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