Chicago Wins Again – Conferences + Events

For the eighth consecutive year, Chicago is named America’s best big city in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, voted on by more than 500,000 readers. From hosting major events such as the 2024 Democratic National Convention, NASCAR Chicago Street Racing, and the famous Lollapalooza music festival, to an overall increase in hotel room accommodations for both leisure and business travelers, the city’s tourism and hospitality market has experienced a stellar year. Year 2024.

Group hotel demand this summer totaled 1.1 million room nights in June, July and August, up 7% from last year, for a total of 3.4 million hotels across all traveler markets, according to Choose Chicago, the city’s official sales and marketing organization. Room nights booked. The city’s busy summer also welcomed more than 670,000 international visitors, a significant 11% increase on last year’s figures. “Chicagoans know our city is second to none, and now we have another honor to prove it,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a prepared statement. “This honor is a testament to Chicagoans The strength, passion and resilience, and the beauty and vitality of our community.”

If planners want to experience all the hustle and bustle of a thriving city, there’s almost no shortage of venues and activities to choose from. McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America, with approximately 2 million square feet of multi-purpose space. Notable cultural and historical sites worth visiting include the Field Museum, American Writers Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Of course, get up close and personal with nature and wildlife by visiting the Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park Zoo, or one of the city’s refreshing parks, Grant Park and Millennium Park, located just along South Michigan Avenue.

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