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QUINCY, ILL. -- Area cities are teaming up to highlight Tri-State tourism hot spots.

The Tri-State Development Summit Tourism Task Force is pleased to announce the completion of a new cooperative, multi-county marketing brochure. The goal of the Tri-State “Midwest River Country” brochure is to cross-promote Tri-State events and attractions to encourage visitors to extend their stays and bring additional dollars into the regional economy.

Organizers say it also helps educate locals residents about close-to-home vacation destinations.

“The new visitors guide highlights many of the great places in the Tri-State of Mind,” Rustin Lippincott, Executive Director of the Fairfield Iowa Convention and Visitors Bureau and Iowa Task Force representative said. “It also demonstrates a collaborative effort between Iowa, Illinois and Missouri communities to welcome visitors on a regional basis.”

The Tourism Task Force sees the brochure as one more way to make visitors aware of the opportunities in the 35-county area.

“A wide array of affordable stops and unique events are featured in the brochure,” Holly Cain, Illinois Task Force representative and Executive Director of the Quincy Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau said. “They will be a valuable resource for visitors as well as tri-state area residents looking for a place to vacation closer to home.”

The brochure is available at the visitors’ centers in all the participating communities and can be downloaded at www.tristateofmind.org/task-forces/tourism.

Debra Boughton, Kirksville Tourism Director and Missouri Task Force representative is looking forward to working with her tourism colleagues to continue marketing the region. “The Tourism Task Force is going to keep looking for opportunities to combine efforts and resources to promote the region as a travel destination,” she said.

The mission of the Tri-State Summit is to bring together leaders in Southeast Iowa, Northeast Missouri and Western Illinois to define common issues; to develop an on-going dialogue to effectively address those issues; and to improve the quality of life of the entire Tri-State region through economic development activities. For more information about the Tri-State Development Summit, visit www.tristateofmind.org.