Two “Favorite Destination” awards received
by Melanie Jongsma
LANSING, Ill. (June 12, 2018) – Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau was honored in the 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards announced by Sports Destination Management. The Chicago Southland was awarded:
- Favorite Destination for Community Engagement
- Favorite Destination for Accessibility
“Nominations exceeded expectations,” said Fonda Johnson, publisher of Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market. “We were overwhelmed by the volume and scope of entries—from destinations to venues to the services and vendors that have become staples of this industry.”
The May/June 2018 issue of Sports Destination Management included a feature article about the winners. Chicago Southland, Illinois, was a Community Engagement favorite because “Sports and tourism play a major role in bringing these 63 communities together. The interaction of the two results in a better quality of life. The Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau recognizes this and prides itself on working with sports events from beginning to end. The CSCVB works hard to engage the region in upcoming sporting events through various methods, including posting participant/spectator information on social media; leveraging media coverage, promoting events in guides and newsletters, working with chambers of commerce on welcming events and sometimes even participating in events.” (page 100)
Chicago Southland was an Accessibility favorite because of its “convenient proximity to downtown Chicago, access to several interstates and minutes from Midway and O’Hare International Airports, making getting to and from events a breeze. Interstates 55, 57, 80, 94, 294 and 355 serve the Chicago Southland so it is easily reachable, no matter what direction an attendee is coming from. In fact, the Chicago Southland is accessible from eight states in under five hours.” (page 98)
The selection process started in January when Sports Destination Management began soliciting nominations from readers in an array of categories. A final list was then presented to readership for voting. The results of those votes were announced June 1.
Jim Garrett, President/CEO of the Chicago Southland CVB stated “Our region offers the best in accessibility and hospitality, and our communities go out of their way to make people feel at home. We are a destination that is easy to access as well as being easy on the wallet.”
The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is located at 2304 173rd Street in Lansing. Call 708-895-8200 for more information.
