A $30 million national campaign promoting Illinois tourism with the theme “Middle of Everything” was unveiled Monday with TV spots directed by and starring actress and Illinois native Jane Lynch.
The spending far outstrips recent tourism efforts by the state, which include the $6 million “Time for Me to Drive” campaign last summer and a $15 million push in 2019 that touted “Amazing” destinations across Illinois, from Cave-in-Rock State Park near the Kentucky border to The Ledge glass viewing box atop Willis Tower in Chicago.
The campaign was introduced by reelection-seeking Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a news conference at Shedd Aquarium. The 30-second ads highlight notable attractions and activities in the state, from Chicago’s Navy Pier and Cloud Gate sculpture to Springfield’s Cozy Dog Drive-In and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, to zip-lining in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.
The ad campaign comes as Illinois, like other states, is trying to move away from the pandemic with businesses and tourist attractions open without any mask or COVID-19 vaccine restrictions.
According to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, visitor spending in the state jumped 12% from $40.5 billion in 2016 to $45.5 billion in 2019 before it dropped 49% in 2020 to $23.3 billion. The agency couldn’t provide figures for 2021 or so far in 2022, but its director, Sylvia Garcia, said tourism is “rebounding” and people are “eager to travel.”
The campaign kicks off as Pritzker tries to counter Republican criticism over his handling of crime, an issue that will be front and center throughout the election season. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, gun violence has been up not only in Chicago but in other cities throughout the state. He was asked about the effect of crime might have on getting visitors to places like Chicago.
“We have so many things to see all across the state, so people will be traveling, I think, both to Chicago and to the rest of the state. As for people who are coming to Chicago, Chicago is really a wonderful place to visit. The people of Chicago are good, decent, hardworking, honest, wonderful people, and nice,” Pritzker said.
“Of course, the challenges that we have in Illinois and in Chicago are ones we’re always looking to overcome,” he said. “But now is a great time to come visit. Maybe a little more sunshine than we have today. And we will have lots of that for the next five, six months.”
The $30.3 million TV campaign will span 20 markets across Illinois and seven neighboring states, and will appear nationally on cable TV beginning April 25. A Spanish-language ad will also air in the Chicago market.
Lynch, an Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning actress who said the ads were her first directorial effort, was raised in south suburban Dolton.
“We’re excited to share Illinois with more visitors from across the country and around the globe, as well as our fellow Illinoisans who may not know about all the amazing attractions and unique destinations they can visit close to home,” Garcia said.
An earlier version of this story included incorrect figures for visitor spending in Illinois.
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