The tri-state area is rich in tourism opportunities. In 1997 a task force was created to identify those opportunities and work together to promote the Tri-State region. The goals of the tourism task force are to:
1. Combine efforts and resources to market as a region using print and electronic media
2. Cross-promoting tri-state events and attractions to encourage visitors to extend their stays and bring additional dollars into our tri-state economy
The economic importance of tourism extends well beyond core hospitality and transportation sectors. Tourism is an economic engine often overlooked. The Tourism Task Force hopes to change this and raise the profile of the critical primary and secondary benefits the tourism supply chain and local spending of tourism wages contributes to our regional economy.
The Tourism Task Force offers the following data. The districts listed below include, but are not limited to, the 36-counties comprising the Summit region.
ILLINOIS District 18
Spending – $1.6 billion
Employment – 14,007
Payroll – $367.7 million
IOWA District 2
Spending – $1.8 billion
Employment – 15,836
Payroll – $254.1 million
MISSOURI District 6
Spending – $1.7 billion
Employment – 15,377
Payroll – $441.8 million
Source: traveleffect.com, 2011 Data, U.S. Travel Association
Project Spotlight: Tri-State Tourism Brochure
The Tourism Task Force has produced a cooperative, multi-county marketing brochure in 1999, 2001 and 2013. You can download a PDF of the 2013 Tri-State Development Summit tourism brochure on our website, www.tristateofmind.com. Participating communities share tri-state tourism opportunities including Hannibal, Missouri, boyhood home of Mark Twain; Nauvoo, Illinois, a restored Mormon settlement and home of the new LDS temple; and Southeastern Iowa which features quaint communities and covered bridges. The 36-county tri-state region is located at the heart of a tourism triangle with Iowa’s Amana Colonies to the north, Abe Lincoln’s Springfield, Illinois to the east and the Missouri Ozarks to the south. Download a PDF of the 2013 Tri-State Development Summit Tourism Brochure.
2016 Tri State Task Force Reports | Housing, Transportation & Tourism
2013/2014 Focus Areas:
2014 Tourism Task Force Report
• Tourism Task Force members-only listserv allows members of the task force to share opportunities for collaboration, best practices and current events
• Development of a Tri-State Tourism Impact sheet unveiled at the 2014 Summit
• Developing partnerships and opportunities for collaboration
Task Force Members:
If you are a member of the Tourism Task Force and would like to share an update with your colleagues, please sign in here: Tri-State Summit Tourism listserv. If you have any questions or are interested in joining the Tri-State Tourism listserv, please submit your request to info@tristateofmind.com.