Quad Cities - The Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) announced today that the ninth annual "Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard" weekend was a success for all involved. The event was promoted through news stories along with television, radio and newspaper advertising.
Each year, the QCCVB holds its annual "Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard" weekend to promote tourism to residents and visitors to the Quad Cities. During this year's event, the QCCVB promoted discounted prices and activities for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Weekend with a special coupon booklet. Almost 20 local hotels/motels offered special rates and packages for the weekend. Almost 30 area attractions, businesses, stores, spas, and restaurants offered discounts.
Due to this effort and the response by Quad Cities' area residents and visitors, over 300 hotel rooms were booked specifically for the promotion, topping 2008 reservation numbers.
Other businesses also reported an increase in business. The Moline Public Library increased their attendance of their Winnie the Pooh program on Saturday by three times over last year. The John Deere Pavilion reported almost 1,500 people on Saturday for their free Kid's Craft Day. Exact numbers are still coming in from the Putnam Museum & IMAX Theatre, but well over 1,000 people toured the exhibit halls this weekend.
"We are extremely pleased with this year's results for Be a Tourist Weekend, and we thank our community and visitors for supporting tourism in the Quad Cities," said Jessica Waytenick, QCCVB Public Relations & Marketing Manager. "Be a Tourist Weekend has become an annual event that people really look forward to, and it also comes during a great weekend and during a time of year when tourism is traditionally down in our area. It provides a nice local weekend getaway and highlights all the great things there are to see and do in our area."
According to Ms. Waytenick, again this year's the coupon booklets were a big hit, and the over 5,600 visitors to the Be a Tourist Weekend web page at www.visitquadcities.com downloaded 9,591 coupons from the site.
There are a lot of great attractions, events, and activities for residents to take advantage of right here in the Quad Cities. Visit the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau's website at www.visitquadcities.com or stop by any of the Visitor Information Centers for a free 2010 Visitors Guide. The Visitor Centers are located at:
· Mississippi Valley Welcome Center, Exit 306, I-80 and U.S. 67, 900 Eagle Ridge Road, LeClaire, IA. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily.
· RiverStation, 1601 River Drive, Moline, IL. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm Saturday.
· Union Station, 102 S. Harrison, Davenport, IA. Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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