Illinois Office of Tourism and Tour Illinois Release New Group Planner Guide

CHICAGO – The new Illinois Group Tour Planner Guide titled “Group Travel Planner” is now available online and in print, offering travel inspiration and amazing destinations for visitors.

The new guide is distributed to leading tour operators, AAA travel agents, bank travel clubs, and faith-based and affinity travel groups across North America. Through a collection of feature stories, regional itineraries and helpful travel tips, this new publication guides groups to plan their perfect Illinois getaway.

“The new Illinois Group Tour Planner guide is the perfect resource for tour guide operators,” said Cory Jobe, director of the Illinois Office of Tourism. “From the world-class culture and dining of Chicago, to the friendly hospitality of small town America, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Illinois.”

Itineraries featured in the guide stretch across Illinois, allowing visitors to truly experience what Illinois has to offer, from Chicago’s ethnic neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs, to immersing oneself in the rich history of the state in Champaign and Springfield. Experience the height of culture and design in Northern Illinois before discovering the natural wonders in Southern Illinois through hiking trails or enjoying a glass of locally-made wine on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find inside:

 Illinois Made:

• Indulge in an outdoor farm to table feast in Champaign at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery.
• Satisfy your sweet tooth in Chicago at Eli’s Cheesecake or with the rich, modern flavors at Black Dog Gelato.
• After a hike at Shawnee National Forest, stop in for a beer made from locally sourced ingredients at Scratch Brewing Company.
• For a generous range of upscale pub fare and locally crafted beer, Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery is the home of the best ‘Horseshoe’ sandwich.

Retail Revelry

• The Magnificent Mile is a 13-block retail strip lined with architectural landmarks, top restaurants, street performers and shopping for all budgets, including luxury boutiques like Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Armani.
• Shop along one of the most beautiful Main Streets in America in historic Galena where you can find everything from locally-made wines to gourmet popcorn and fruit preserves.

Follow the Light

• Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site preserves the remnants of a sacred city of 20,000 people and more than 70 mounds, showcasing a complex civilization of North American Indians.
• Explore Chicago’s North Shore and experience the Bahá'í House of Worship, with its 135-foot dome. This architectural wonder is located close to the Lake Michigan shoreline. The Bahá’í faith focuses on the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity and oneness of religion.

Magnificent Museums

• Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry invites groups to learn, explore and experience the intrepid ways of inventing and discovery.
• Experience the commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other Civil Rights leaders while going on a soulful journey at the DuSable Museum of African American History.

The Illinois Group Tour Planner guide was produced in cooperation with Premier Travel Media, a leading publishing company serving the leisure group travel industry since 1999.

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The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism manages industry efforts that result in sustainable and significant economic and quality-of-life benefits for Illinois residents.