ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Visitors spent a record $549.6 million in Rockford and Winnebago County in 2025, marking a 5% increase over the previous year and outpacing tourism growth across Illinois, according to a new report released by GoRockford.
The spending figure represents an increase of $26.2 million from the $523.4 million recorded in 2024.
Statewide, visitor spending rose 3.5% to $50.2 billion in 2025. Winnebago County’s growth rate also exceeded that of several comparable large Illinois counties, which averaged about 3.3% growth in visitor spending, according to the report…