About Visit Lake County

Visit Lake County (Lake County, Illinois Convention & Visitors Bureau) is the destination marketing organization and champion of tourism for Lake County, Illinois. Our organization is comprised of municipalities (13 community partners plus Lake County), along with 200 industry partners including hotels, attractions, and hospitality-related industries throughout, all who recognize the powerful economic impact of tourism.

Visit Lake County embraces diversity with respect to all individuals. This commitment and mindset are the foundation put in place every day as we provide the highest-quality travel resources and visitors experiences which enhance the well-being of our communities and support the livelihoods of our neighbors.

Our marketing initiatives and branding enhance the public image of Lake County as a dynamic place to live, work and visit. We encourage residents and visitors to support local businesses, the foundation of our hometowns and Lake County communities.

 

Visit Lake County Staff 

The organization employs a staff of professionals with years of experience in tourism, marketing and sales. We also have a 17-member Visit Lake County Board of Directors representing community partners, hotels and attractions from across the county.

 

Visit Lake County Board of Directors

• David Motley, Chair, City of Waukegan
• Randy Ebertowski, Vice-Chair, Gurnee Mills
• John Krajnak, Treasurer, Six Flags Great America
• Sonolito Bronson, Secretary, City of Zion
• Cheryl Ross, Past Chair, Village of Gurnee
• Maureen Riedy, VLC President
• Brad Burke, Village of Lincolnshire
• Carissa Casbon, Lake County Board
• Justin Keenan, Village of Deerfield
• Ray Keller, Village of Lake Zurich
• Greg Koeppen, Lake County Farm Bureau
• Brad Lajoie, Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
• Jonathan Petrillo, Village of Vernon Hills
• Heather Rowe, Village of Libertyville
• Brieanna Ruggia, Great Wolf Lodge Illinois
• Tim Wilson, Village of Mundelein

 

Partnerships / Funding

Visit Lake County is funded through state and local hotel tax receipts and grants. We receive an annual grant from DCEO/Illinois Office of Tourism, which we are required to match though local sources. Match sources include industry partner membership dues, community partnerships and co-op advertising projects. Our community partnerships include Antioch, Deerfield, Fox Lake, Grayslake, Gurnee, Highland Park, Lake County, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Historic Downtown Long Grove, Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Waukegan and Zion

 

Our Target Markets

• Lake County residents
• Leisure travelers from Chicagoland and beyond
• Amateur sports tournaments and enthusiasts
• Family and military reunions
• Tour groups (large and small)
• Associations, corporate meetings and retreats
• Hobby groups and service organizations
• Special events and weddings
• Multi-generational
• Road-trippers, day-trippers, overnighters

 

Marketing Goals and Strategies 

• Nurture Lake County’s brand as a regional tourism destination.
• Develop advertising and marketing strategies to boost awareness of Lake County as a tourism destination and increase resident and visitor spending in the County.
• Provide trip planning resources though our website and visitors guide on the entertainment and outdoor recreational opportunities in the county, and encourage visitors to stay overnight.
• Leverage digital marketing and public relations to promote events and attractions and reach new audiences through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms.
• Continue to enhance our integrated and multichannel marketing efforts including enhancements to our website, increasing our subscriber and contacts database for our e-news, as well as native and location-based / geotargeted campaigns.
• Serve as the content curator for the region by maintaining a comprehensive calendar of events on our website for visitors and residents, and provide events for the Illinois Oce of Tourism’s website.
• Boost our group sales bookings with hotels and other venues through client relationship development and management.
• Support destination-enhancing development and events that will attract residents, visitors, and guests, promote a high-quality of life, enjoyment and well-being, and help support our neighbors and local economies.
• Continually evaluate our progress and results, identify opportunities, promote the many unique assets of Lake County, and spur new businesses and economic development.

 

Marketing Tools

• Lake County Visitors Guide or Map Guide – printed annually and distributed at our kiosk at the Lake Forest Tollway Oasis, state visitor welcome centers, hotels and other outlets along the I-90 Interstate, Amtrak in downtown Chicago, Naval Station Great Lakes, plus downloadable on our website.
• VisitLakeCounty.org,  We are also responsible for posting our events and attractions on the Illinois Office of Tourism's website, enjoyillinois.com.
• Social Media –  We have a rich and robust presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. We most recently joined Tik Tok, for short-form videos. We create blogs and curate fresh content daily.
• Campaign: Lake County Restaurant Week – held annually in early March to shine the spotlight on the many dining experiences available throughout the county.
• Campaign: Lake County Libation Trail – – ongoing promotion to showcase craft breweries, wineries and distilleries throughout Lake County. Partners featured on a mobile check-in platform, a map guide and during Lake County Libation Month.

 

Economic Impact of Tourism in Lake County

Lake County ranks as one of the top three counties in Illinois for tourism expenditures, behind Cook County and DuPage County. According to research data provided by the Illinois Office of Tourism and the US Travel Association, tourism expenditures in Lake County top $1 billion in visitor spending annually resulting in over 15,000 jobs -generating more than $64 million in local tax receipts and over $126 million annually in state taxes.

 

Accreditation

Visit Lake County is honored to be awarded accreditation by Destinations International, representing over 1,000 destination marketing organizations throughout the county, and thousands more throughout the country and world. The accreditation requires best practices and compliance with 95 mandatory standards of excellence including operational and financial procedures, governance, customer service, and sales and marketing key performance metrics.