By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The region’s tourism bureau launched its first website 26 years ago, using the URL GoRockford.com.
But its name officially has always been the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, often shortened to the alphabet soup acronym of RACVB.
Today, the group has officially rebranded as GoRockford, a name that’s meant to evoke action and energy while serving as a more encompassing term than “visit” or “travel.”
“GoRockford embodies action, forward momentum, and the vibrant energy of this community, highlighting our efforts to champion Rockford and the region as a premier destination for both visitors and residents,” said John Groh, president and CEO of GoRockford.
The change was revealed Friday during a 40th anniversary celebration held at Hard Rock Live. The visitors bureau also revealed its new destination master plan, Thrive 2035, and paid tribute to its 40 years of history.
The rebrand also comes with a new GoRockford.com design and the release of the Official Experience Guide for residents and visitors of the Rockford area.
Groh said many other tourism agencies had already made similar switches over the years to names such as Visit Beloit, Enjoy Illinois and Choose Chicago.
“Our name was the least progressive thing about our organization. Maybe we were staying there because of tradition or whatever reason,” Groh said. “We chose what was probably right in front of us all along from 1998 with that URL address.”
GoRockford is also the name the visitors bureau had used on all its social media, where it reaches tens of thousands of people across its various accounts.
“As we move forward, we want to honor our legacy as the RACVB while embracing the name that has long represented us – GoRockford,” Groh said. “This change signifies more than a new name; it’s about driving progress, moving with purpose, and uniting around a shared vision for the future the celebrates and advances our community.”
The name also evokes the kind of cheer you might hear at a sporting event, “Go Rockford!”
“We are pretty big cheerleaders,” Groh said.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas