May 8, 2024 -The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Office of Tourism is reporting a surge in international visitors to the state in 2023.
Illinois experienced a 39% increase in international visitors in 2023, totaling 2.16 million arrivals compared to the previous year, according to Tourism Economics data.
“This influx underscores Illinois as an increasingly sought-after international destination, with visitor spending reaching nearly $2.7 billion, marking a substantial 47% surge from the year before,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This significant achievement highlights the growing global appeal of our great state and the hard work of our tourism and hospitality industry partners to make Illinois a world-class destination.”
The top five markets for visitation to Illinois in 2023 include Canada, Mexico, India, the U.K. and Germany.
- Canada emerged as the leading market for international visitation, with an impressive increase from 425,000 to 627,000 visitors, representing a substantial 48% growth.
- Overseas visitors (defined as visitors not from Canada and Mexico) also showed significant growth, surging from 963,000 visitors in 2022 to 1,347,000 in 2023, marking a 40% increase.
- India demonstrated substantial growth in visitors to Illinois, with an increase of 55% from 2019 to 2023.
- Mexico contributed to the upward trend, with visitation numbers climbing from 164,000 to 183,000, reflecting a notable 12% rise.
Illinois welcomed a total of 111 million visitors who spent $44 billion in 2022 (the latest data available) – representing 14 million additional travelers spending $12 billion more than calendar year 2021.
For more information, visit www.enjoyillinois.com.
