Bloomington-Normal tourism officials say the Route 66 centennial celebrations have increased out-of-town visits to McLean County by 3% compared to year-to-date figures from last year.
Melissa Chrisman is now more than a year into her new job directing Visit BN, the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau [CVB]. In a Sound Ideas interview, Chrisman and outgoing bureau board chair Beth Whisman said that year has laid the groundwork for growth. She said that first year involved touching base with stakeholders, the board of the CVB and with other partners.
“We've spent some time investing in data management tools, we've spent time doing a new strategic plan, which we recently adopted, and we've really invested heavily into Route 66, which I think will really lead us into the future incredibly well. We've got some clarity around the type of organization that we want to be,” said Chrisman.
The 3% increase in visitors from outside the community is figured using cell phone geographic data and a computer program. Other data tools can provide more granular information.
“How long they're staying, where they're going, or if it is a Route 66 traveler. We do have those tools now to start building out visitor profiles… So, we know who we can future target,” said Whisman.
Chrisman said success is more than numbers, though. It comes from increased collaboration among small communities along the Mother Road, from Chenoa to McLean.
“They've all been invested. They've all taken a sense and pride in their Route 66 assets and what those mean to their community,” said Chrisman. “We really hope this year is just the start of more to come, and that the people who experience Route 66 this year will enjoy it so much they'll want to experience it in years to come.”
There are conflicting economic signals and international tourism in the U.S. has declined in the last two years. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, international spending in the U.S. dropped 22.5% last year, a reduction of $12.5 billion. The U.S. Travel Association said international visitation is down so far this year by 4.3% in the U.S. It remains below pre-pandemic levels.
City of Bloomington out of market visitors (calendar year)
- 2025 - 3.25 million
- 2024 - 3.45 million
- 2023 - 3.45 million
- 2022 - 3.55 million
- 2021 - 3.15 million
Town of Normal out-of-market visitors (May 2026-July 2026)
- Year over Year +2.4%
- Year over 2 years +4.4%
- Year over 3 years +4.6%
Chrisman acknowledged visitors are more conservative in their spending. She maintained Bloomington and Normal remain well-positioned to attract people.
“We are fairly affordable for somebody who might want to take a short road trip from Chicago or Minneapolis, Indianapolis, St. Louis, any of those areas that people can just drive over and experience that renaissance and nostalgia of Route 66,” said Chrisman.
She said Route 66 tourism in Central Illinois appeared to counter the nationwide declining international visitor trend.
“I will say we have to work a little bit harder to get them. You can't just buy an advertisement and an international publication and get that market to come. We're spending one-on-one time with international travel and tour operators and telling them all the great reasons why they should come to McLean County,” said Chrisman.
Visit BN's future
Whisman said McLean County wants to be a regional leader in the visitor economy. The CVB values its IHSA sports events, holiday tourneys and day-trippers but wants to do more than keep what already exists.
“The strategic plan has us thinking very responsibly about our future, and what sustainability look like financially,” said Whisman. “It's not just heads and beds… Everything's changing, and how we compete with other communities has to change too. Information is more available. Data is being used all the time, but also what expenses a CVB is willing to take on in order to host. So, what's the ROI [return on investment]?”
Whisman said the new data tools may start to better define ROI by the end of the year.
Chrisman said she sees opportunities to lure more sporting events to the Twin Cities and Route 66 leisure travel continuing. That does not mean adding a specific number of events, but taking a more qualitative approach to tourism incentives.
“If we are getting proposals in for 10 events a year, I wouldn't look at it and say we must bring in five of those. I would look at it and say, which ones are going to fill the most hotel rooms? And if that's just one, we're going to try to do everything we can to bring in that one. Which ones will bring in the most visitor spending? We would try to bring in those,” said Chrisman.
Expanding sports events in the community has been a goal for many years. Chrisman said there is still opportunity.
“There are so many more sports now than there were 20 years ago…. Pickleball is huge, and we have some great facilities that I don't know that we have really reached into their potential for that. Just think really thinking outside of the box from what we have now,” said Chrisman.”
If the economy does ebb, Visit BN can pivot to focusing on more regional travel.
“We’d invest our resources probably in a 50–100-mile radius," said Chrisman. “I wouldn't say that we drop those [broader geographical marketing] efforts completely. I would just say you kind of balance things out.”
