Visit Kankakee County Tourism Contributes to Record Economic Growth in Illinois

Visit Kankakee County announced the area generated a local economic impact of $171.6 million and contributed to an increase in visitor spending across Illinois in 2022. In addition, this boost in tourism contributed $6.6 million in local tax revenue while directly supporting 1,229 jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry, according to the latest data provided by Tourism Economics, a global tourism research firm, which measures the number of visitors as well as their impact on Illinois’ economy during the 2022 calendar year.

With a cost of living below the national average, employment opportunities to earn a substantial income and being ranked in the top among small communities for nursing, carpentry, law enforcement and manufacturing hubs, Kankakee County is worth a second look.

In a flash poll of Kankakee County lenders on Monday, the Economic Alliance learned that in the federal Paycheck Protection Program’s initial $350 billion round of emergency funding, more than 1,500 regional businesses were served, with approved loans totaling more than $260 million. According to those polled, the majority of businesses had already received a disbursement. In this initial round, businesses served employ more than 30,000 individuals.