April 29, 2025 – Local events such as The Devon’s summer season, the Commodore Cup Regatta on Lake Decatur, Central Park’s Craft Beer Festival, and Finder’s Market at Progress City are contributing tourism dollars to Macon County’s economy.
In 2023, domestic travelers spent $226.8 million in Macon County. Of that amount, $6.4 million was collected in local tax receipts and reinvested into the county. That same year, 1,533 jobs were identified as reliant on travel and tourism, resulting in $48.9 million in wages earned by local workers.
The Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (DACVB) tracks tourism’s economic impact. Funding for the DACVB is provided by hotel and motel taxes from the city of Decatur and the village of Forsyth, along with grants from the Illinois Office of Tourism, a division of the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.
“Those monies help us support and/or partner many popular events such as this summer’s boat races, the Warrensburg Corn Festival, Farm Progress Show and others. The DACVB exists to ensure our leisure and business travelers have the best experience possible.” said Teri Hammel, Executive Director of the DACVB.
The Farm Progress Show, scheduled for August 26-28, is expected to generate more than 9,500 hotel room nights during the event days, with additional hotel stays for setup and teardown. The event will bring visitors from 30 to 32 countries.
National Tourism Week, which runs from May 4-10 this year, recognizes the economic and community importance of travel and tourism. “Travel and tourism are vital to the growth of our county and countless designations across the state,” said Hammel.
