Discover Downstate Illinois Marketing Team takes care of everything from the planning, designing, placing, and even paying some of the bills for members. They can assist with various marketing projects, including billboards, radio commercials, TV commercials, social media advertising, logo creation, magazine and newspaper ads, business cards, brochures, and video production.

Discover Downstate covers more ground than any other Convention and Visitors Bureau in the State of Illinois. They represent 21 counties that stretch from the Mississippi River, east of St. Louis, MO, to the Wabash River, west of Vincennes, IN. They promote attractions, shopping destinations, cozy wineries, and great local cuisine.

Clark County is one of the 21 counties they cover. Their sole purpose is to promote tourism. The program is funded by the Hotel/Motel Tax paid to the individual city governments. One of the specific programs they discussed on Tuesday was the Southern Illinois Coffee Trail, which includes Casey’s two Coffee Shops: Casey Coffee Company and the Traveling Mug.

“There are many people who travel just to follow coffee shops,” said Jackovich.

They also pointed out that Tourism and Economic Development go hand in hand.