From BusinessRockford.com: (link)

Tourism spending increased in 2007 by about 5 percent despite a decrease in overall attendance at local sites and attractions. Visitors to Winnebago County spent $300.6 million last year, compared with a total of $287 million in 2006. It’s the highest visitor spending total since the 2001 terrorist attacks, which caused a sharp decrease in tourism around the country. Read more