The Value of Visitor Centers in the Age of Digital Travel

While traveling on Interstate 55 to Memphis, Tennessee, known as the ‘home of the blues,’ we noticed a welcome center in Blytheville after entering Arkansas. We stopped to stretch our legs and explore. The center featured a stone and post-and-beam design with slate floors and exposed beams. We passed through displays showcasing the state’s natural wonders alongside brochures and informational booklets.

On this particular day, we considered Arkansas a pass-through state on our way to Tennessee. While waiting for my wife, I found a brochure titled ‘Historic Dyess Colony: Where Johnny Cash’s Story Began.’ As a fan of Cash, I was intrigued, though unfamiliar with Dyess Colony. Encouraged by a friendly attendant eager to discuss her state, I told my wife we should visit Dyess.

We traveled across northeast Arkansas, passing fields and quaint homes, to find Johnny Cash’s boyhood home in Dyess. Built in the mid-1930s, it was part of the New Deal community and essential in shaping Cash’s early memories. These experiences influenced some of his first recordings with Sun Records of Memphis. This visit was a delightful and insightful detour.

The closure of Illinois’ eight interstate visitor information centers at the end of September prompted this reflection. According to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the purpose of these centers has evolved as travelers now plan trips online. The suggestion is that Google and digital resources are supplanting traditional brochures and in-person guidance. Indeed, the internet offers substantial travel data. You can explore Chicago’s top hotels, attractions, and dining options easily online. But what about exploring routes to your destination?

Robert Frost wrote about the road not taken. Many treasures lie along these routes, needing attention. Traveling on I-57 to Chicago, who mentions Chester, offering a history of Popeye the Sailor Man and Fort Kaskaskia? On I-55 between Springfield and Bloomington, the American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois, displays stories of kitschy Muffler Man statues. On I-72, travelers can visit the Monticello Railway Museum, featuring a restored 1907 steam locomotive. On I-80 to Joliet, Exit 97 leads to the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles, a solemn site honoring fallen service members.

In 2025, Gov. JB Pritzker noted visitor spending reached $50.2 billion, yet the state ended the $1.6 million budget for visitor centers, which serve as gateways for 115 million guests. Do we wish to close these doors?

Frank Hosek, a freelance travel writer near Chicago and retired human resources director, reflects on this topic. Share your thoughts by submitting a letter of up to 400 words.