The Illinois unemployment rate is the highest it’s been since 1993. But one Chicago industry is holding steady.

With high food and gas prices and unemployment on the rise, economists say people are vacationing and dining out less. But that doesn’t seem to be hurting Chicago’s leisure and hospitality industry. Mitch Daniels is a labor market economist with the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

DANIELS: Leisure and hospitality in the Chicago area was right at the exact level in July ‘07. Granted you’d rather see growth there but stability, having the same number you had last year, does still show that leisure and hospitality is still a thriving part of the Chicago metro area employment picture.

Daniels says the weak US dollar may have helped bring overseas travelers to the region, boosting Chicago’s tourism industry. He says since July of last year, the metro area has lost a total of about 2700 jobs.