BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL, Ill. — Visitors spent $549 million in McLean County in 2025, a 5.8% year-over-year increase of $29.9 million, according to the 2025 Illinois Tourism Economic Impact Report prepared by Tourism Economics for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
“These results show that the visitor economy is delivering meaningful growth for McLean County,” said Melissa Chrisman, president & CEO of VisitBN (Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau). “Every visitor who stays in a local hotel, enjoys a meal, attends an event or explores one of our communities supports jobs, businesses and public services here at home. Reaching $549 million in visitor spending is an important milestone—and it gives us strong momentum as we continue telling the Bloomington-Normal story to new audiences.”
The report found that direct visitor activity in McLean County supported 4,006 jobs, generated $124.4 million in labor income and produced $41 million in state tax revenue and $15.8 million in local tax revenue in 2025. McLean County’s 5.8% increase outpaced Illinois’ statewide visitor-spending growth of 3.5%.
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Statewide, visitor spending surpassed $50 billion for the first time, reaching $50.2 billion in 2025.
2025 direct visitor impact highlights
- Visitor spending: $549 million, up 5.8% from $519.1 million in 2024
- Employment: 4,006 direct jobs supported by visitor activity
- Labor income: $124.4 million in direct wages and income
- Local taxes: $15.8 million in direct local tax revenue
- State taxes: $41 million in direct state tax revenue
“The visitor economy builds on the quality of life we all share,” said Cheryl Magnuson, chair of the VisitBN Board of Directors and president/owner of Majestic Interior Design. “More visitation to BN means more customers through the doors of local businesses and direct benefit to communities across McLean County. These numbers show what investing in VisitBN’s work means for our community’s economic health and future.”
When indirect and induced effects are included, visitor activity generated a total economic impact of $923.8 million in McLean County, supported 6,077 jobs and produced $219.5 million in labor income. Total state and local tax revenues connected to the visitor economy reached $53.4 million and $25.5 million, respectively.
The local results contributed to a record year in which Illinois welcomed 115 million visitors and generated $88 billion in total economic impact.
About the report
The tourism economic impact figures are part of an annual analysis prepared by Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics, for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The analysis measures direct visitor activity as well as indirect impacts through supplier purchases and induced impacts created when tourism-supported workers spend their income.
