The public may not understand that tourism has a huge financial impact on the state of Illinois and local organizations. Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, brought that message to Vermilion County Tuesday.

Thomas addressed a group of community leaders at the Fisher Theater. He said the impact of tourism is growing each year.

And he said the growth is being felt locally

The tourism industry in Illinois has had tremendous growth since the pandemic, Thomas says tourism is a vital economic and cultural force

Thomas says not all of the 111 million visitors last year went to the big cities

The state has 26 Convention and Visitor Bureaus, including the local one. Thomas is visiting all of them to get ideas and plans on how to get tourism thriving in all parts of the state.