MOLINE, ILLINOIS (March 3, 2026) — Visit Quad Cities, in partnership with Longwoods International, has announced the results of its most recent Resident Sentiment Survey. The findings revealed residents' overwhelmingly positive view of tourism and its role in supporting the region’s growth and quality of life.
Respondents to the resident survey reported that 45% have lived in the Quad Cities their entire lives, while 49% had visited prior to moving to the region.
“On behalf of our Board of Directors and professional team, we are pleased to share these important resident sentiment survey results with our local community,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit Quad Cities.
“Our Tourism Master Plan sets the strategic vision and direction for our regional destination, and a key recommendation of the plan is to regularly check in with residents. These findings and insights from Longwoods International are encouraging because it significantly underscores the overwhelming message that tourism is essential to the Quad Cities and that our residents desire increased visitation and investment in tourism. Tourism is an economic, community, and quality-of-life growth engine that must be prioritized as we continually compete for visitors, talent, and investment. These insights will allow us to refine some priorities and continue our education efforts locally that non-resident revenue is vital to our region’s future success.”
Overall Sentiment
- 91% of residents feel that tourism is good for the Quad Cities.
- 86% of residents believe that the positive benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts. This compares to 64% of other Midwest respondents and 65% of the US norm.
- 51% of residents feel that the Quad Cities is a destination visitors want to visit. 25% are neutral, and 24% disagree.
Tourism Development and Growth
- 91% support tourism growth. This compares to 69% of Midwest respondents and 68% of the US norm.
- 88% would like to see more visitors come to the Quad Cities.
- 86% believe we should develop/host more major events to attract visitors to the Quad Cities.
- 77% of residents support building new tourism venues and facilities that will attract visitors to the region.
- 87% support modernizing existing venues and facilities that will attract visitors to the region.
Tourism Promotion
- 67% of residents like the way tourism advertising represents the Quad Cities.
- 66% feel local government should support/help fund the promotion of tourism. This compares to 45% of other Midwest respondents and 46% of the US norm.
- 64% of residents believe that tourism marketing reflects the diversity in the Quad Cities.
Economy
- 82% of residents feel that tourism is important to the local economy.
- 84% believe that tourism encourages investment in our local economy. This compares to 56% of other Midwest respondents and 58% of the US norm.
- 74% feel that the economic impact of visitors in the Quad Cities helps to support industries and businesses not directly related to tourism.
- 65% of residents feel that tourism attracts new residents to the Quad Cities.
- 73% believe that tourism attracts new businesses to the Quad Cities.
Tourism Employment
- 58% of residents feel that the tourism industry offers rewarding careers, versus 45% of the Midwest respondents and 50% of the US norm.
Quality of Life
- 59% of residents believe that their quality of life has improved because of increased tourism.
- 81% of residents feel that tourism supports the preservation of local culture and protects the community’s authenticity. This compares to 56% of Midwest respondents and 58% of the US norm.
Environment
- 73% of residents feel that the tourism industry values sustainability and our natural resources, versus 42% of the Midwest respondents and 43% of the US norm.
Involvement/Engagement
- 62% of residents believe they are informed and up to date on news about tourism in the Quad Cities.
- 72% look forward to showing off the Quad Cities when friends and family visit.
- 65% of residents feel they are an ambassador for the Quad Cities, even among visitors they don’t know.
- 73% are likely to encourage friends and family to visit the Quad Cities.
- 55% of residents are willing to brag about living in the Quad Cities.
Modern Technology and Artificial Intelligence Usage
- 69% of residents feel that it is somewhat, very, or extremely important that Visit Quad Cities uses modern technology and artificial intelligence to serve residents and visitors.
“Collecting resident sentiment with a regular cadence ensures we remain mindful and aware of how our community truly feels about tourism and growth,” said Katrina Keuning, Brand and Content Strategist, Visit Quad Cities. “Tourism begins at home, and our first customer will always be the Quad Citizen, the people who live, work, and build their lives here every day. The feedback and insights gathered give us clarity and confidence to forge ahead, ensuring our work reflects what our community values while putting meaningful action into motion.”
To see the full report, visit SurveyQC.com.
About Longwoods International
Established in 1978, Longwoods International is a leading destination tourism market-research partner that helps industry clients meet their objectives through their exceptional team, best-in-class strategic partners, groundbreaking research, thought-leading insights, and excellent counsel and service. Longwoods conducts strategic market research for public- and private-sector clients, primarily in the United States and North America.
About Visit Quad Cities
Founded in 1990, Visit Quad Cities is the region’s official destination marketing organization (DMO). Visit Quad Cities is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit engine that drives economic opportunity through tourism, builds our authentic brand, shares and sells the Quad Cities story, and enhances Quad Citizens’ quality of life and place. Accredited through Destinations International's Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), Visit Quad Cities is recognized globally for operating at the highest level of industry standard.
