Choose Chicago Taps New President And CEO

Forbes

7 hours ago

Choose Chicago, the official destination marketing organization for the city of Chicago, has recently announced Kristen Reynolds as their new president and CEO. Chicago's tourism industry is a key driver of the city's economy, and Reynolds is stepping into the role at a pivotal time as Chicago builds on record-breaking tourism numbers.
Reynolds brings 28 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry to this role. 'My perspective is unique because I am both a seasoned industry professional and at the same time new to Chicago—even though my husband is from the Chicagoland area, and I've visited many times,' says Reynolds. 'It's extremely important for organizations like Choose Chicago and destinations like ours to occasionally bring in talent and leadership from other markets because we see this city with fresh eyes.'
We just released our year-end numbers from 2024, and they were excellent. We saw over 55 million visitors— 6.5% more than 2023—and over 2 million international visitors, our first time breaking 2 million since before the pandemic. And through the first half of this year, our hotel metrics are tracking above 2024. I attribute this to many factors—from our world-class attractions and events for leisure visitors to more major meetings choosing Chicago and breaking attendance records. What is the demographic of Chicago visitors. Is it changing?
Chicago is seeing an increase in millennial travelers. getty
Demographics of visitors and travelers are always shifting, and that's a good thing. It means we're capturing the attention and piquing the curiosity of large and diverse audiences. Lately, Chicago has been seeing a higher share of millennial travelers here for both business and leisure. We remain a popular destination for business travelers thanks to our two airports and airlines with strong lift that make Chicago convenient from any destination. While we saw strong international growth in 2024, what we're experiencing and anticipating in 2025 is stronger regional and drive market travel due to global and economic challenges that make last minute travel more appealing. What recent trends are you seeing in the Chicago tourism space?
One trend we've observed that I find quite interesting is a moderate shift towards traveling to Chicago across all seasons, especially the fall. While summer is always the biggest season for travel to Chicago, over the last several years, we've seen the overall share of visitation to Chicago grow during the fall. We've seen the overall share of inbound business travel to Chicago rise particularly notably during that time period, with the fall accounting for 25% of annual business travel in 2019 and 35% in 2024.
Another trend we're seeing post-pandemic in terms of domestic travelers is that people are traveling in larger parties and with children. This is of particular note in business travel. Where previously business travelers typically came alone, we are now seeing a much higher share of business travelers bringing their families. This is a fantastic trend and very positive news for our partners in the hotel and attractions spaces. How has Covid changed travel to Chicago?
I think the pandemic fundamentally changed the world in so many ways—including the way we think about and experience travel. It used to be that pretty much anyone who wanted to take a vacation had to take time off from work. Today, with the rise of remote work, millions of people have the ability to travel for weeks or months on end and never stop working. And at the same time, technology has done away with the need for constant business travel to attend meetings in person. The days of businesspeople flying into a city in the morning for a meeting and returning that evening are pretty much gone. These trends have profound implications for the tourism and hospitality industry at large. In Chicago, we work in lock step with our partners across the tourism, meetings, and conventions ecosystems to ensure we are staying nimble and continuously positioning our destination for long-term success. What do you wish people knew about Chicago?
People just don't really know Chicago until they've spent time here. And one visit isn't enough—there is so much to do, see, and experience. I think we do a great job of marketing our world-class cultural institutions, our renowned hotels and restaurants, and the incredible architecture downtown and in neighborhoods across the city. One thing I do wish people understood more is that what truly makes Chicago rise above the competition is the people. This is the friendliest, most welcoming, and hardest-working big city in America, and we need to shake off our tendency to always be humble. We need to brag a little more about everything that we do at the highest level. Chicagoans are constantly at the vanguard of fine dining, visual and performing arts, urban design and innovation—we need to own that and shout it from the rooftops. What insider tips do you have for visitors to Chicago?
The Art Institute of Chicago. getty
Come knowing that you'll have to come back. If it's your first visit, you might want to stay downtown and plan your trip around our iconic cultural assets and attractions—Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, an architecture boat tour along the Chicago River. But there is so much to discover and experience in our neighborhoods beyond the downtown area. Get out to Pilsen or Little Village for authentic Mexican food, amazing street art, and unique shops; explore the boutiques and fine dining options in neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, or the Gold Coast; visit the pedestrian mall in Chinatown. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a destination, and you can travel the world in an afternoon by visiting different neighborhoods in Chicago. What are some future plans for Chicago?
There are a lot of exciting developments happening in the tourism and hospitality space in Chicago. We have the Obama Presidential Center coming online next year, which will be an anchor for visitation in the South Side, especially in Hyde Park and nearby neighborhoods. The new Bally's Casino in the River West neighborhood in the central business district will be a huge attraction, complete with a 500-room hotel and docking station for water taxis. Universal Destinations and Experiences just announced a new year-round horror attraction that will be built out in a currently under-utilized space along the river near the Bally's site.
The Art Institute of Chicago is going to build a new wing to house an expanding contemporary art collection. We just launched a new brand campaign—'Never Done. Never Outdone.'—and hosted the U.S. Travel Association's IPW 2025, the largest annual international inbound travel trade show in the country, which we anticipate driving increased tourism in the coming years. And of course, all these developments make Chicago that much more attractive as a destination for meetings and conventions. People don't just plan events here because of our great accessibility and venues—though both are of course major factors; they come here and often stay here for years or decades because attendees want to go to exciting, vibrant cities where they can experience things they can't anywhere else.