News

The American state of Illinois saw more visitors from the UK and Germany in 2007, but fewer tourists from within the US, according to new figures.

Chicago, the state's largest city, was its most important location, with some 1.1m foreign visitors making it the ninth most popular destination in the United States.

There was a 10% rise in visitors from the UK and a 6% increase in the number of tourists from Germany, according to figures from the Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

This strong activity could not prevent the overall number of visitors to Illinois falling by around 1m last year, as rising prices and a slow economy led to fewer American tourists taking holidays in the state.

Jan Kostner, deputy director of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, remained positive about the figures as they showed an increase in the amount that visitors to the region were spending, the Chicago Tribune reports.

'We're very excited about the economic impact. If that number was off, it would be more concerning,' Ms Kostner said.

'We're doing what we're supposed to be doing - adding money to the state and city coffers.'

Chicago is the third most populous city in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles, and boasts visitor attractions including Sears Tower and Navy Pier.

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