Illinois had a record number of visitors in 2011, with more than 93 million tourists. The state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said the state saw an 8.4 percent bump last year, bringing in over $31 billion for the state economy.
About 1.2 million of those tourists came from abroad. Officials attribute the boost to the tourism industry's recovery from the recession. Governor Pat Quinn said, "it's no surprise" Illinois has attracted so many tourists.
