Tourism may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about economic growth in small towns, but Illinois Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Richard Proffer argued it should be. Speaking during the Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference session “Increasing Your Town’s Entrepreneurial Opportunities Through Tourism,” Proffer noted rural tourism can fuel job creation, support local businesses and spark cultural revival in communities with fewer than 5,000 people.“Rural tourism is very important,” said Proffer. “It plays a big part in these small towns’ economy, believe it or not. It plays a huge part. It also fosters some neat things and entrepreneurial citizens, as these individuals can start a side job catering to tourists. It also creates regular job opportunities, but the thing that I really like is the cultural revival.”Proffer drew on two decades of experience with rural towns in Missouri an...