We’ve been celebrating our 30th anniversary all month long! Our birthday was just last Friday. As part of the festivities, we’ve been meeting with former OVC Board members, and some others who have been along for the ride. We’re reflecting on three decades of tourism and considering what the future might hold. Join us, as we look back on local tourism’s evolution, some Ottawa Visitors Center history, and a special guest’s unique perspectives.

Our special guest this entry is Bob Navarro, president and CEO of Heritage Corridor Destinations. He got us started with some background on his time working with the OVC and City of Ottawa.

“We first started working with the Ottawa Visitor Center and the City of Ottawa several years ago, when they started their Ottawa Two Rivers Wine Fest. We were at the table when that event festival came together, and they had the original concepts for the festival, and we were contracted by the city to do the marketing and promotion of that. It was a huge success, as far as a festival that would bring people in from outside the community, into the community right there along the riverfront in the downtown area. The Jordan Block, so to speak. But it was a great partnership with the city, with the Ottawa Visitor Center, and certainly with the Downtown Merchants, and the different community groups that help support that event festival. And we did that for several years, where we did marketing and advertising. We targeted the Chicagoland market. We had a partnership with WTTW and WFFT and so they were a sponsor, they would plug the event to their listeners and to their subscribers, which that was our demographic. That’s who we were trying to reach for that type of festival. So we built on those successes with the festival marketing and promotion. And then we expanded out and did some other projects with the Visitor Center with Morel Fast and most recently, Restaurant Week. Our whole goal is to bring people from outside Ottawa into Ottawa so they shop at your shops, eat at your restaurants, enjoy your your outdoor recreation, attractions or museums, and then stay all night in your hotels and your lodging. That’s our goal, is we want people from outside the community to come to the community to do that. And over the years, we’ve been able to do that for specific events and festivals, or in partnership with the Ottawa Visitor Center. Other things that we’ve done with Ottawa, is help you secure some of that state grant money that’s available for marketing and promotion. So several years ago, we sat down with the previous directors and talked to them about their grant application, what would be eligible projects, how to write up the grant, did little grant 101 type training, so Ottawa Visitor Center could bring in some of those state grant dollars to their local operating budget. Because when there’s so much money set aside at the state level, if you’re not getting it or I’m not getting it in my area, it’s going somewhere. It’s going to Bloomington or Rockford or Champaign. We want it to come here to LaSalle County and to Ottawa. So we always supported your your grant applications and do we can try to help secure those state dollars here locally,” Bob said.

Throughout our interview series, we’ve explored how important community collaboration and our partners in tourism are to local tourism. Working together helps us bring great events to Ottawa and promote our community to others. In turn, tourism is boosted for the region, benefiting our community and our neighbors. Tourism is an important industry in our area, so we asked Bob what Ottawa tourism means to him.

“So here in Ottawa, we can hit the tourists in two different aspects. We can hit them through our marketing promotion of Starved Rock Country and also our Illinois Michigan Canal towns. Ottawa is one of the original I&M Canal towns that we promote. The Illinois Michigan Canal is our National Heritage Area that starts in the Chicago Portage area and comes out West here to LaSalle-Peru. And those communities that settled along the Illinois Michigan Canal, have great locally owned shops and restaurants, authentic experiences in their downtown area. Sure, you might have your chain restaurants on the outskirts and closer to the interstates, but when you get to the downtowns of these communities like Lockport has the Forge and Outdoor Adventure Park, Lemont has the great restaurants in their downtown area. You come to Joliet, Morris, and then you get out here to Ottawa, and so we like to promote Ottawa being one of the canal towns and your rich history along the canal, your connection to Lincoln. You’ve got the Lincoln-Douglas debates reenactment coming up this summer, which is exciting to have that as part of the American 250. Then also Ottawa is connected to our Starved Rock Country product, which Starved Rock Country, the heart Starved Rock Country is Starved Rock State Park and all of the other state parks that are right around there. Illini, Mattheissen, Buffalo Rock, you know, all of the state parks that are around that area, and then those communities that feed into the Starved Rock country area that have, again, locally owned shops, restaurants, great shopping and dining in Princeton. Myrtle’s Pie shop in Princeton is a great place to have an afternoon snack. But then you’ve got your restaurants here in Ottawa, if you’re going out hiking on the trails and you wanna grab a beer, and I would suggest going to Lone Buffalo, or having some great other delicious, dining options here in Ottawa. So, we like to promote Ottawa as two fold, part of that Starved Rock Country product that we’re doing and then the line of canal towns because they are unique perspectives and people visitors that we’re trying to reach for different reasons. The Starved Rock Country, those people are much more active, much more outdoor, they want to take advantage of the hiking, and birdwatching, the canal tow path, whether that might be activities along the Illinois River, boating. Activities like that, but then your canal towns are interested much more in the history, the Lincoln Douglas connection, the Scouting history, and routes that you have here. And other things. Radium Dial girls years ago, we helped promote the the play that was happening in the area to help tell that story, as part of Ottawa’s history. That’s what we like to do for the Ottawa and the Ottawa Visitors Center,” he explained.

Ottawa’s marketability through Starved Rock Country and the I&M Canal Towns place us at a intersection of nature, history, and so much more. It all contributes to that Middle of Everywhere feeling, where there’s something for everyone. This has become especially apparent over the years as tourism has increased, with a variety of spheres of interests and activities for people to enjoy. Building on this, we asked Bob how he feels Ottawa tourism has evolved over the last 30 years.

“Well, congratulations on 30 and cheers to another 30. I do think that Ottawa, we’ve taken from a gateway to Starved Rock, as being part of the Starved Rock area. We want people to come here and experience your history, your museums, your shopping, your dining, the outdoor activities, like I said along the waterway and the canal tow path. I think it used to be a city that people would just drive right through on their way to Starved Rock, but now they are spending time here. So they’re spending time here. They might do their overnight here, then do some of those Starved Rock activities, and then certainly come back to the Ottawa community. I think it’s grown over the years. I think you can tell that by the number of shops and restaurants that are able to sustain themselves, or that have expanded, and that these are locally owned shops and restaurants, which is great for the community. And you’ve got more hotels than you did 30 years ago, you’ve got more Airbnbs, and short term rentals, and those are because of all that product that you have here. I think that that is indication that tourism, visitors are strong for your community. For our region,” Bob said.

It’s so great to be able to support the very places that make our community such a wonderful place for tourists and locals alike. Bob also explains that ripple effect of tourism in Ottawa throughout the area. Our activities, natural areas, attractions, and events are all part of Ottawa’s charm. We asked Bob if he has a favorite event or attraction from throughout the years.

“I always enjoy the Saint Genevieve. When I’m on that boat I always seem to learn something new, when I’m on their tours. I do love the restaurants here. I love B.A.SH. I love Beach House. I like the peaceful and serenity, I like being by the water. I like being out at Heritage Harbor and staying all night at Harbor Inns is always a great experience. I’m not sure I have one favorite, I just think it’s a very calming, peaceful, centering place that has great food. I’m all about the food. I’m not a shopper, but I know you’ve got some great shopping here,” he said.

There are a lot of places that make Ottawa special. The variety of activities and attractions keeps things fresh and exciting! As we’ve said, there’s a bit of something for everyone in Ottawa. There have been many exciting events and attractions in town throughout the years, so we asked Bob if he would like to see any make a return.

“Well, I loved the Ottawa Two Rivers Wine Fest. I thought that was a great festival, especially the years we added the lobster dinners. People came from all over for a great value, great experience, to hear live music along the river, at no cost. Brought a lot of people to the community. We’ve used the [Roxy] Theater here in town for some different movie premieres. We had Travels with Darley here years ago, and we did a sneak preview of her show at the theater, and then we also did the Ice Climbers here in Ottawa. Having a theater in the downtown area is a great asset, so that’s another favorite place to be able to have that theater right downtown. Your parks are great for your Farmers Markets, weekend festivals, We started the promotion of the Chris Kringle Market and that’s a great tradition that other communities are trying to copy. But I think Ottawa’s is pretty strong. You got great vendors that come in for that. The Morel Fest is huge. I’ve never hunted morels, but I’ve talked to folks that have done it, and they enjoy it, and they always look forward to Ottawa’s festival and and yeah, the arts fest there. There’s a lot of great events and festivals that you have and you’ve continued,” Bob said.

Ottawa has been home to so many beloved events and attractions throughout the years. We look back fondly on them. In a town like Ottawa, the next big thing could be just around the corner. A former event could return, or a spiritual successor could be created. Whatever the case is, we can’t wait to keep sharing our community with you for years to come. To round out our interview, we asked Bob if he had any closing thoughts on the future of Ottawa tourism.

“Ottawa and tourism, I say continue to be nimble. You know, as we weathered the storm through through COVID, and we’re bouncing back from that, support those locally owned shops and restaurants as much as possible. That’s what really makes our canal towns and our Starved Rock Country area unique. As we look to the future, anything we can do like Restaurant Week, or some of the other activities that drive traffic into those locally owned shops and restaurants during all four seasons, we’ve tried to partner with the county, and Starve Rock State Park, and Starved Rock Lodge to showcase that we are a destination for all four seasons, and so continue to program in all four seasons is what I would say for Ottawa’s future. Sure, people are coming in the summer. It’s easy to put stuff together. This summer, but fall’s a beautiful time for fall foliage. Our fall foliage tends to happen a little bit later than it does out east, and so we can capture that. It’s much fun, less expensive than some of the other fall foliage tours that happen. And then winter, a great time for the ice climbers. winter birds and winter horseback riding and great time to enjoy good beer, wine as well and spirits. We’ve got great spirits with Star Union and August Hill. Then you’re back to spring, and all of seeing everything in bloom, and their Kites Festival and different things that happen in the spring. So I say, continue for the future, continue to make sure, make a conscious effort to program in all four seasons and support those locally owned shops and restaurants. They’re so important.”

Many thanks to Bob! Our interview series is winding down, but we’ve got just a few more for you. We’re so proud and grateful for 30 years in the Middle of Everywhere. Stay tuned on the rest of our blog and Facebook page for more interviews and updates.