WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) - 2024 was a record year for tourism, not just for Illinois , but Williamson County also saw a record-breaking boost.

According to Visit SI, visitors spent an estimated $225 million in Williamson County, all while supporting around 1,700 jobs in the tourism industry.

Libby Ervin is a co-owner of Glacier’s End, a specialty food shop in downtown Marion.

She has had a front-row seat to the revitalization of the downtown area.

“We moved into our shop here a little over four years ago, right when everything started changing around here,” she said. “City hall was getting ready to move. So we were on the ground floor of the revitalization.”

Ervin said the number of visitors to the downtown area and her shop has skyrocketed over the past year.

“We’ve seen foo

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