Be a Tourist in your Own Backyard!

Quad Cities - Head out on the town during a fun-filled weekend of discounts during the 10th annual "Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend" on January 14-17, 2011.  This year, over 50 Quad Cities businesses and organizations have issued coupons that are good for this special weekend and continuing for several months.

The Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) invites everyone to the Quad Cities for a weekend filled with special prices, activities, and events for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Weekend.  Almost 20 hotels/motels in the Quad Cities area are offering special rates and packages for the weekend.  And over 30 other area attractions, businesses, spas, and restaurants are offering great discounts.

"With Monday, January 17th a holiday for many parents and students, that weekend is a great time to be a tourist in your own backyard and enjoy an affordable hotel stay," says Joe Taylor, President/CEO of the QCCVB.  "People don't have to travel far or spend a lot of money to have a great and affordable weekend getaway."

Go to www.visitquadcities.com/beatourist for a list of all the specials and discounts for the weekend and to easily print the coupons that you'd like to use.  All of the participating businesses have a supply of the coupon booklets.  Supplies of the booklets are limited so it would be a good idea to pick up a booklet before the weekend starts, or just print the same coupons from the website.  Call 309-277-0937 for more information.

Faces of the Quad Cities Contest

Every day from January 5-14, 2011, a new photo of a Quad Cities "face" will be released.  Faces are contained within public art pieces in the Quad Cities and may include statues, paintings, murals, and more.  All faces are accessible by the general public.  People can enter the contest at www.visitquadcities.com/beatourist with all 10 answers submitted by midnight on Monday, January 17.  The winner will receive 2 round-trip tickets on Allegiant.  The runner-up will receive a $100 gift certificate to John Taylor Salon & Day Spa in Rock Island, IL.

Borders Benefit Days

In conjunction with the weekend, the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau is holding a Benefit Days event with Borders in Davenport and Waldenbooks in Moline's SouthPark on January 15-16, 2011.  With the voucher that can be downloaded from www.visitquadcities.com/beatourist, a percentage of the in-store and online sales will be donated to the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau.