The Marion Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating milestones and our business community at its 101st annual awards celebration on June 24th, 2022 at the Pavilion in Marion (rescheduled from January 14).  The program will feature presentations by the Chamber, elected officials, and our 2021 award winners.

This year’s Business / Industry of the Year Award winner was selected by members of the Marion Chamber of Commerce Awards Committee. 

The Marion Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that the 2021 Business/industry of the Year is visitSI. 

“visitSI is proud to be the recipient of the Marion Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Business/Industry of the Year Award. During the pandemic, the travel and hospitality industry suffered profoundly through job loss and business closures. Nevertheless, Williamson County persevered and is continuing to see growth and economic development in all its communities, helping to drive travel and tourism trends upward.” Ashlee Spiller- Executive Director

visitSI is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Williamson County. One of only 38 DMO’s in Illinois, visitSI was incorporated in 1986. This not-for-profit entity promotes travel and leisure throughout the Williamson County area to potential visitors across the U.S. and abroad. visitSI focuses on helping local merchants boost economic impact, create jobs, and improve quality of life through tourism.

Leading the way through a unified promotional effort is part of the visitSI mission. Through trade shows, media outlets, and advertising materials, visitSI promotes memorable travel experiences while partnering with our locally owned and operated businesses to showcase the importance of community to our story, brand, and quality of place. These promotions drive economic growth by raising the community profile, attracting strategic events, and raising the quality of life for all.

“It is an honor and privilege to accept this award from the chamber community. VisitSI works hard to showcase the region to those outside of our area. We are beginning to see recovery numbers near or at pre-pandemic levels. This is a testament to all the community partners that make Williamson County a great place to live, work, and play. We are excited to continue to share the experiences the region has to offer.” Matt Monchino, VisitSI Board Chairman

visitSI also leads the way in advocacy for our hospitality partners by being involved with the legislative processes at the state and local level. visitSI works with Illinois Office of Tourism and the Illinois Council of Convention and Visitor Bureaus to present the challenges and strengths of our area to the state and local legislators. visitSI is helping position our partners for economic growth by keeping them up to date on new and upcoming legislative initiatives.

Groups, meetings, and events coming into the area may also view visitSI as a concierge service to help them find a suitable venue, helping to find a block of hotel rooms, or provide their guests with an itinerary outside of the planned events. All these services are provided to the public to help bring in additional travelers from outside of a 50-mile radius.

Community engagement is also part of the organization’s mission. In addition to continual efforts to spread awareness and share information about our concierge services, visitSI takes part in community events and collaborates with community organizations.

Award Sponsor

The first Business/Industry of the Year Award was given in 1963 to GTE. Last year’s recipient was Hospice of Southern Illinois.