Choose Chicago

We did it -- again! ?? Chicago has been named Best Big City in the U.S. by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards for an unprecedented 8th consecutive year!??? Over 575,000 readers from around the world cast their votes, and yet again Chicago came out on top. Thank you to all of our incredible partners in the tourism and hospitality community whose hard work and dedication ultimately led to this award. And thank you to each and every Chicagoan who goes out of their way to create welcoming experiences for our visitors. You are truly the reason we continue to win this award year after year! ?? Read all about what makes Chicago the Best Big City here: https://lnkd.in/eJdi4BEz

Welcome to our partners from around the world!???? ? This week, we're hosting a group of 70 social media personalities, writers, and PR partners from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the U.K., and U.S. for a mega tour! ? Thanks to our friends at?Chicago Blackhawks for inviting us to last night's game! (And congrats on the win!)? ? Still to come this week: a Chicago Bulls game, riding on the Choose Chicago bus in the Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade, a Thanksgiving feast prepared by chef Darnell Reed of Luella's Southern Kitchen, and so much more! ? These mega tours help us share our Chicago Style with tens of millions of potential visitors around the world. Can't wait to welcome all these amazing partners back soon!

Time to get in the holiday spirit, Chicago! ????? Our Interim President and CEO Richard Gamble joined Kimberly Bares of The Magnificent Mile? Association for an interview with Natalie Bomke on Fox 32 Chicago to talk about everything that's new at Saturday's Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and Parade. Lights Festival Lane is open 11am - 4pm at Pioneer Court with music, family-friendly activities, and sweet treats, and the parade steps off at 5:30pm at Oak St and Michigan Ave. Watch the interview here: https://lnkd.in/gtxFFS4T Learn more about everything Lights Fest-related here: https://lnkd.in/gaxB2MtA And check out our ultimate Chicago holidays guide here: https://lnkd.in/eMJptrdZ

We love events that bring our tourism and hospitality partners together! ???? Thank you to the team at Expedia Group for inviting our Interim President and CEO Richard Gamble to participate in a panel discussion on the future of tourism and events in Chicago. Rich discussed the series of major conventions and events that helped make 2024 a strong year for our local visitor economy and how Choose Chicago is working with a variety of partners to build on this momentum moving forward. Panelists from Expedia's leadership team touched on the latest travel trends, emerging technologies, and strategies for hospitality stakeholders to attract future visitors.

Thanks to our partners from Chicago's professional sports teams for joining today's PR Roundtable at?Lyric Opera of Chicago! ? Members of the marketing and communication leadership teams from the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Sky WNBA, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Red Stars, Chicago Fire FC, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox participated in a panel discussion moderated by our CMO Lisa Nucci. ? The team reps shared their experiences and best practices for brand marketing, audience engagement, and creating impactful partnerships with local cultural institutions and community organizations. ? These roundtables are venues for marketing and communications professionals from Chicago's cultural and civic communities to connect and identify opportunities to build mutually beneficial partnerships. ? Special thanks to Holly Gilson and John Mangum from Lyric Opera of Chicago for hosting us on the amazing set of The Marriage of Figaro, and to Congressman Mike Quigley for sharing welcoming remarks and his consistent support for Chicago's cultural institutions!

Congratulations to Vice President of Sales Eric Kincaid for receiving the Charles Wright Supplier of the Year Award from the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals! ???? Several team members traveled to Birmingham, AL for the 41st Annual Conference of the NCBMP this week, where Eric accepted his award and shared all that makes Chicago a premier leisure and events destination during remarks at a Choose Chicago-sponsored reception. Special thanks to the one and only Chip Eberhart (AKA DJ Chip E./"The Architect of House Music") for helping us bring our Chicago Style to this prestigious group of events industry professionals from across the country!

Chicago is gearing up for the holidays! ?????? There's no better place to celebrate the season than in Chicago's diverse and beautiful neighborhoods. From community events to festive displays to pop-up markets, there's something for everyone to enjoy in every corner of the city. Check out our Neighborhood Holidays landing page and start making your plans today: https://lnkd.in/gc55sMDT

We love sharing our Chicago Style with visiting industry colleagues! ?? Thanks to this fabulous group of leaders from Maritz for joining us in Chicago this week for a familiarization tour! We took in so many iconic landmarks, including Wrigley Field, the Bean, and the future Barack Obama Presidential Center. Our city is constantly evolving as a destination, but one thing that never changes is the warmth, authenticity, and welcoming spirit of Chicagoans. That's what sets us apart. And that's why visitors come back again and again. We look forward to welcoming these folks back soon. ??

A huge thank you to all the members of our Customer Advisory Board (CAB) for a productive set of meetings over the past two days!? ? The Choose Chicago CAB is composed of representatives from some of our major recurring conventions and events at McCormick Place and other venues, and provides critical input that informs our sales, client services, and marketing strategies.? ? From deep dive meetings to a fine dining experience at?Esmé in Lincoln Park and a House Music dance party, we loved sharing our Chicago Style with this dynamic group of leaders!? ? Special thanks to our Board Chair Glenn Eden, Phil Clement of World Business Chicago, Jack Lavin of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood, and Deputy Mayor Kenya K. Merritt for joining us!

Our CFO Jim Meyer participated in a panel titled "Choose Chicago" at an Urban Land Institute seminar for real estate professionals this afternoon. Jim spoke alongside Jack McKinney, Jr. of Stream Realty Partners, Mark Stern of JLL, and moderator Katie Jahnke Dale of DLA Piper about all that makes Chicago attractive both as a real estate investment market and destination. The discussion focused on things that Chicagoans take pride in and that bring visitors back again and again, including our incredible downtown, walkable neighborhoods, beautiful lakefront, and world-class culinary, cultural, and sports scenes. Special thanks to the DLA Piper team for hosting this event!