On this episode of Along the Rock, host Nathan Stahr welcomed Matthew Lenox of Visit Northwest Illinois for a wide-ranging conversation about regional tourism, community collaboration, and the unique identity of northwest Illinois.
Lenox outlined the mission of Visit Northwest Illinois, formerly known as the Blackhawk Waterways Convention and Visitors Bureau. The organization serves as a certified tourism bureau through the state of Illinois, representing Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside counties. With a defined geographic footprint similar to a district, the bureau focuses on promoting the region’s assets while supporting local communities, businesses, and events through coordinated marketing efforts…