Chicago Leaders Unveil 2026 Tourism Plans at Choose Chicago Meeting

City and state officials gather to build on record-breaking summer travel season.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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After a record-breaking summer tourism season in Chicago that generated nearly $1 billion in revenue, city and state leaders are meeting on Tuesday to outline their plans for 2026. The Choose Chicago annual meeting will bring together officials to discuss building on the momentum from last year's surge in conventions, sporting events, festivals, concerts, and the city's renowned restaurant scene, which drove over 3.56 million hotel room nights in the central business district - a 4% gain over the previous year and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

Why it matters

Chicago's tourism industry has shown incredible resilience, bouncing back strongly from the pandemic. This meeting will be crucial in determining how the city and state can capitalize on that success and continue attracting visitors in the years ahead, despite the unflattering narrative about Chicago's safety from the federal government.

The details

According to an October report by Choose Chicago, the record-breaking summer travel season was driven by a surge in conventions, sporting events, festivals, concerts, and the city's world-renowned restaurant scene. Hotels in Chicago's central business district filled over 3.56 million room nights, a 4% gain over the prior year and surpassing the previous record set pre-COVID in 2019.

  • The Choose Chicago annual meeting is taking place on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
  • The record-breaking summer tourism season occurred in June, July, and August of 2025.

The players

Choose Chicago

The official destination marketing organization for the City of Chicago, responsible for promoting the city as a premier travel destination.

President Trump

The former President of the United States, who repeatedly criticized Chicago as an unsafe city despite declining crime numbers.

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What’s next

City and state leaders will use the Choose Chicago annual meeting to outline their specific plans and strategies for continuing to grow Chicago's tourism industry in 2026 and beyond.

The takeaway

Chicago's tourism industry has shown remarkable resilience, bouncing back strongly from the pandemic and setting new records. This meeting will be crucial in determining how the city and state can build on that success and continue attracting visitors in the years ahead, despite the unflattering rhetoric from the federal government.