CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2016 – Chicago-area homes tend to sell more quickly than they did just a few years ago. According to RE/MAX, the average market time for all homes sold in the metro Chicago market fell from 139 days in 2012 to 93 days in 2015.

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These efforts deliver benefits to QCCVB partners including local municipalities, park and recreation departments, hotels, convention centers, restaurants, attractions, and other services.

"The sales team at the QCCVB actively prospects meetings, conventions, group tours, special and sporting events.  In 2016, we are noting a trend towards more sporting and special event bookings, which are generating a large percentage of the economic impact on the Quad Cities Region," says Lynn Hunt, QCCVB vice-president of Sales.

"Servicing has become the new sales.  The Quad Cities has a reputation for being a destination that makes it happen for various event planners.  We use our collective talents in the hospitality industry to exceed the service expectations of planners, and that has led to repeat business and new referrals."

Some of the meetings and events in 2016 include the following:

Name of Event                          Dates                 Est. Attendees    Economic Impact

Missouri Valley Conf. Basketball Tournament        March 10-13       7,000                    $1.5M

Gathering of the Green John Deere Enthusiasts     March 16-19       2,500                    $1.5M

U.S. Trampoline & Tumbling Assoc. Northern IL    April 22-24          1,800                    $150,000

NAIA Men's Golf Championship at TPC                    May 22-27           500                       $396,000

Roughneck's Motorcycle Rally                          June 22-26          600                       $180,000

Great Race Finish Line in Moline                         June 26-27          3,000                    $36,000

Pontiac Oakland Club International Convention     July 13-17            1,200                    $1.7M

Life Leadership Conference                     July 21-24            12,000                  $5.4M

ISC Men's Fastpitch Tournament                               Aug. 10-18          4,296                    $1.9M

Iowa Tourism Conference                                Oct. 19-21           300                       $162,000

"The sales process will continue and these numbers will grow as the year progresses.  The QCCVB works months and even years ahead of the actual event to ensure its success," said Lynn Hunt, QCCVB vice-president of Sales.  "Many events that booked are coming through our Host it Here program.  This program is offered through the QCCVB to assist local residents who have a connection to bring an event to the Quad Cities.  The QCCVB helps by researching what is needed to host the event and assisting with the hotel rooms and other logistics."

The QCCVB continues to lead promotions to attract visitors to the area and encourage residents to experience more of what the Quad Cities has to offer.  A new promotion during the month of April is Quad Cities Live Month.  It's an entire month dedicated to live performances at venues throughout the area.  Enjoy theatre, dance, comedy, and music that celebrates the talents of local, national and international actors, musicians, dancers, and comedians.  Visit www.quadcitieslive.com for more information.

This new promotion follows on the success of:

Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend - Jan. 15-18, 2016, www.qcbeatourist.com

Quad Cities Restaurant Week - Feb. 29-March 6, 2016, www.qcrestaurantweek.com

Quad Cities Museum Week - June 18-26, 2016, www.qcmuseumweek.com

The 25th anniversary of riverboat gaming will be here this spring as April 1, 2016, marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Diamond Lady Casino and President Riverboat Casino in the Quad Cities in Bettendorf and Davenport, Iowa.  The launch of these riverboats sparked the introduction of regional gaming across the nation.

2016 is also bringing in some exciting museum exhibits, including The Discovery of King Tut (Mar. 5-Sept. 5) at the Putnam Museum and Science Center, and the Figge Art Museum hosts The Art of Architecture: LEGO (Feb. 20-May 29) and The Wonderful World of Oz: Selections from the Willard Carroll/Tom Wilhite Collection (June 12-Sept. 25).

There is also a shift in the 2016 summer festival calendar with the John Deere Classic moving to August 8-14, because of the significant changes the PGA TOUR has made to its summer schedule to accommodate the Rio Olympics.

The QCCVB is the official tourism destination marketing and management organization for the Quad Cities region.  The organization serves the tourism interests of Scott County in Iowa and Rock Island, Mercer, Warren and Henderson Counties in Illinois. The QCCVB increases visitor expenditures and overnight stays through strategic sales, marketing, and services to customers, members and communities.  The Quad Cities averages over 1 million visitors a year that generate an $837 million economic impact on the local economy.    Visit www.visitquadcities.com for more information.

When was the last time you made a financial resolution on New Year's Eve? If you can't remember, you're in good company.

The Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America's annual New Year's resolutions survey (https://www.allianzlife.com/about/news-and-events for 2014 reported that 49 percent of respondents said that health and wellness were their first priorities for the coming year, up from 43 percent in 2013. Only 30 percent ranked financial stability as their top goal for the year.

In 2016, maybe it's time to push financial fitness to the top of your list by creating an annual financial calendar that helps you save, spend and invest a little smarter. Here are some suggestions to build your calendar:

Set three important money goals for the year. Three money goals may not sound like a lot, but if you've never thought about money goals before, establishing these targets can make a major difference in your financial life. Set goals that address key money concerns or serve as a springboard for a solid financial future. Choose what makes sense for you, but here are three basic goals to start with:

• Create or reset your budget. If you've never made a budget before, spend a month or two tracking everything you spend. Review your findings closely and see whether you're spending less than you earn. If not, determine if you can cut spending to direct more funds to meet key goals. If you already have a budget, consider reevaluating your finances to see where you could cut costs.
• Build an emergency fund. An emergency fund (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/emergencyfund) contains between three to six months of living expenses you can draw upon only in a real financial emergency such as unemployment, illness or a major unplanned expense.
• Save for something special. Make one of your three goals a fun goal - a vacation, a new bike, a wardrobe upgrade - something that feels like a reward.

Here are calendar items that might help you reach those goals.

Make sure you note staggered receipt dates for each of your three free credit reports (https://www.annualcreditreport.com) from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax so you can keep a steady eye on your credit and spot irregularities if they happen.

Prevent severe money surprises by marking key repair or replacement dates on home, appliance and other personal expenses that might be coming up in the future. Use the time you have now to schedule inspections and estimates for each so you'll be able to start setting aside funds in advance.

Retirement readiness is another key calendar item. At least once a year, consider reviewing your holdings in retirement or investment accounts to make sure they're still performing as you've planned or if not, whether you need to restructure the investments in your portfolio.

Put the open enrollment dates for employer- or self-employment benefits on your calendar and then mark a date several weeks before to allow you to start thinking through necessary changes. The way you choose employer or self-employment benefits is a key part of your financial planning and should intersect with other independent money decisions you're making for yourself and your family.

Insurance renewal dates are important to mark as well. If you're not comparison-shopping for the auto, homeowners or health insurance coverage you buy on your own, there's a good possibility you're losing out on money, service or coverage.

Set two dates each year to review your overall finances. You might consider dates in June and November to see how you're doing with budget, savings, spending, investment and tax issues. The June date is for corrective actions; the November date is to determine the last-minute spending, savings or tax moves you want to make before December 31 and to set financial goals for the New Year. If you work with a qualified financial or tax expert, consider involving him or her in the conversation.

Bottom line: If you use a calendar or datebook to keep on schedule, add important money dates and activities so you can meet your lifetime financial goals.