Fulton County is launching a new campaign to bring tourism dollars to the community.
The Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development created a new website and Facebook page to tout the county as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Illinois.”
“We already kind of see ourselves as one of the major ones, but we’re not advertising that we are," said Amanda Woodruff, the marketing and tourism coordinator for the Spoon River Partnership.
She said attractions like the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Dickson Mounds State Museum, and Giant Goose Ranch in Canton already attract people from around the state for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation.
“There are a lot of people who travel to Fulton County just to do hunting. There’s a lot hunting and fishing, and we have a lot of water," said Woodruff, noting the former strip mines converted into recreation areas throughout the county.
With a digital strategy, new signage around the county, and expanding partnerships through trade shows and networking with other regional tourism organizations, Woodruff said the hope is Fulton County’s presence can grow.
Numbers from the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau show tourism brought in just over $25 million into Fulton County in 2018.
