There’s a lot to be excited about in Southern Illinois, from the abundant natural spaces and trails, to the food and drink scene, artists and creatives, and unique small businesses. While Southern Illinois natives have long known all the area has to offer, now, with social media, people from across the region and even other parts of the country are discovering Southern Illinois. And, thanks to multiple tourism bureaus working together, there’s a growing attitude of collaboration over competition in the industry that has helped showcase the area to a wider audience.
Jessi Thomas is a driving force in the industry who is putting Southern Illinois tourism in front of locals as well as those outside of the area. She was born and raised in Carterville, and although she left the area briefly to attend college and pursue some employment opportunities, she’s now back in her hometown, and is the person behind multiple social media accounts that highlight various aspects of Southern Illinois tourism.
As someone who is naturally drawn to writing and storytelling, Jessi started covering Southern Illinois on social media in 2023, but she’s been creating content and managing social media accounts professionally since 2017. While most of her content centers around visual storytelling, like photographs and Reels, Jessi also creates some blog content for websites and mini-blogs in the form of info-graphic carousels on Instagram.
Over the past few years, she’s created several accounts to showcase the area through Thomas Family Goes, an account that focuses on tourism and experiences in Southern Illinois as well as in other areas. Another account she manages is Shawnee Sensory, which is dedicated to improving the neurodivergent experience in Southern Illinois. Jessi is a Certified Autism Travel Professional, and currently is the only one in the area, and the Shawnee Sensory account features travel tips for neurodivergent families.
“Our daughter’s autism diagnosis obviously caused us to shift the way we travel,” she shares.
That shift changed not just the way her family traveled but also the lens through which Jessi views everyday spaces like parks, trails, eateries, and even AirBNBs. She earned her certification earlier this year and she has done some speaking and educating with local organizations and area parks. Some of that educating has centered on the often simple ways spaces can be improved to help neurodivergent families have a better experience.
“I’ve heard a lot of ‘we had no idea’ from places, but they’ve been so receptive about the ways they can make changes,” she says.
Working with area tourism bureaus and creators
Jessi is also a Social Media Coordinator for Jackson County Tourism, and a freelance content creator and has formed partnerships with Southernmost IL Tourism, where she has helped promote initiatives like the 2026 Southern Illinois Coffee Trail, which features over 60 coffee shops spanning over 450 miles, as well as Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, and many local AirBNBs. She has also collaborated on content with tourism groups in Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Indiana.
She also combines her passions for collaboration and highlighting the experiences and beauty that Southern Illinois has to offer through the Southern Illinois Social Club. This social media account focuses on tourism marketing shared by local small business owners, photographers, social media managers, and outdoor enthusiasts. Jessi helped formed this movement to create a social media storytelling experience featuring places and itineraries that are created by locals. This type of tourism is made for people looking to have an experience that’s been curated by someone in the area rather than content created by influencers from outside of the Southern Illinois.
To learn more about Jessi and to find some of the best Southern Illinois travel and tourism tips, follow her on Instagram at Thomas Family Goes, Shawnee Sensory, and Southern Illinois Social Club or visit her website.
