With its world-class shopping and dining, exceptional hotels, long history of innovation and prominent role as a business hub, it’s no surprise that The Windy City set a new tourism record in 2017.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that visitor totals for 2017 reached 55.2 million, marking a new high and a 2.5 percent increase over the previous year. That gain of 1.4 million visitors met the mayor’s goal of 55 million annual visitors two years ahead of schedule.
“Tourism in Chicago means jobs throughout Chicago,” Mayor Emanuel said. “By continuing to set new tourism records and bringing millions more people to Chicago every year, we are generating economic opportunities that reach every Chicago neighborhood.”
Leisure travel was a major contributor to the surge: Chicago hotels reported an overall annual occupancy increase of 6.3 percent. New and refreshed properties helped attract visitors, including Cambria Chicago Loop, situated above the historic Oriental Theatre; Ace Hotel Chicago, featuring a stylish rooftop bar and lounge; and the Marriott Marquis Chicago, which was the largest North American opening for the brand in 2017.
The convention and meetings sector, centered at McCormick Place, also fueled growth. To build on that momentum, the Global Business Travel Association committed to hosting its annual convention — the world’s largest business travel event — in Chicago in July 2019.