Chicago Tourism Hits Record $21.5B With 56.8M Visitors

The 56.8 million visitors marked an increase of nearly 1.5 million from 2024, according to Choose Chicago, the city's tourism promotion agency. The $21.5 billion in spending supported 135,360 local jobs across hospitality and entertainment.

Hotel occupancy rates climbed to 72 percent, up 3 percentage points from the prior year, while average daily room rates rose to $245. International arrivals grew 12 percent, led by visitors from Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

The tourism boom has been driven by a packed calendar of conventions, festivals, and sporting events, including the Chicago Marathon and Lollapalooza. The city also saw a surge in leisure travel from domestic markets, particularly from the East Coast and Midwest.

Choose Chicago credited the growth to expanded flight routes, new hotel openings, and targeted marketing campaigns. The agency projects continued growth in 2025, with several major conventions already booked.

Local officials say the record numbers underscore the city's recovery from the pandemic and its growing appeal as a global destination. The tourism sector now accounts for one in every nine jobs in Chicago.