Latest news with #ChooseChicago
Travel Weekly
2 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Kristen Reynolds of Choose Chicago on seeing a city from a visitor's perspective
Kristen Reynolds became CEO of Choose Chicago, the city's tourism marketing organization, six weeks before the city hosted U.S. Travel's annual IPW conference in June. Formerly CEO of Discover Long Island, Reynolds also worked with the Arizona Office of Tourism and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. News editor Johanna Jainchill spoke with Reynolds at IPW about the Route 66 centennial, the Canada market and being nimble. Kristen Reynolds Q: What's something that's stuck out for you since you took over at Choose Chicago? A: A lot of people say, "How do you represent a city that you are not from or you don't know," and it was the same thing when I went to New York from Arizona. But I see it from a visitor's perspective, and sometimes it's the best way to kind of pull out all the wonderful things that a city has to offer and that locals might sometimes take for granted or not realize is really special because you see it every day. So moving to Chicago, being a visitor in my own city, is so incredible. I get to see it every day and am just awe-inspired by the beauty, the experiences and most of all, the friendliness. Q: How will Chicago celebrate Route 66's 100th anniversary in 2026? A: We are the beginning of Route 66, and the team has already spent the last year preparing for that, putting mile markers in specific locations, making sure that people understand the exact spot where Route 66 starts -- which is essentially the Art Institute [of Chicago]. The Art Institute has a whole Route 66 tour you can do. We want to work together with the other Route 66 destinations; it's not about each individual place. We've got things cooking for all the destinations, where visitors can come and get one seamless experience. Related: Tour operators and destinations begin preparations now for America's 250th birthday Q: You started this job at a time when inbound travel numbers were down. What are you seeing now? A: Last year, we reached a record-breaking 2 million international visitors. We want to grow that, but that's 2 million out of 55 million visitors. We rely more heavily on domestic visitors. What we're seeing is flat to slightly up from a lot of inbound markets, particularly Latin America, with a dip, certainly, from Canada. To mitigate that, we've got some fun promotions we're talking about. Hosting IPW really helps to expose Chicago. It's a great opportunity for us to remind people about things like Route 66 and that the Obama Center opens next year (the Center includes a museum and presidential library). We're doing our best to stay in the marketplace and continue to welcome those visitors, but we're also looking at people domestically who aren't traveling as much internationally as they have in the past and trying to capture that market, as well. Q: I've been hearing that from other destinations: They're shifting marketing from Canada. A: I've been in this industry for 27 years now. I've been through 9/11, I've been through recessions. And of course, the pandemic. This is not the first time our industry has gone through challenges. Being nimble and being able to change your strategy and look at emerging markets and make sure you're seizing every opportunity is how destinations stay successful. Q: What's behind your new campaign, "Never Done. Never Outdone"? A: We asked community members,'What do you think of this city? What represents you?' The message that came out is, "We're never done. We're always changing and evolving, and we can say we're the best." So we're going back out into those communities and saying, "What are you the best at? How can we promote you?" And that really helps, because visitors want a campaign and a destination that is authentic and really represents the local community. It's important for us to make sure we're representing every aspect of our city.
Axios
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
NASCAR says it's "pausing" Chicago Street Race
NASCAR announced Friday that it will pause the Chicago Street Race. Why it matters: The three-year experiment to bring a major racing event to downtown Chicago streets on the Fourth of July weekend yielded mixed results amid adverse weather conditions, a less established fan base, and residents' complaints about noise and street closures. Driving the news: A statement from NASCAR says the Chicago Street Race will "pause in 2026 to allow NASCAR to be responsive to residents' and elected officials' feedback." "We will continue to work together toward a new potential date and develop a plan to further optimize operational efficiencies with the goal of the event's return in 2027," the statement went on to say. Flashback: Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot negotiated the city's three-year contract with NASCAR in 2022, and some believed Mayor Brandon Johnson would end it when he took office in 2023. Yes, but: There was well-earned speculation that after this month's race, when the contract expired, Johnson would pull out. By the numbers: Last year's event generated $128 million in economic impact, according to Choose Chicago and the Chicago Sports Commission. The race attracted just over 53,000 spectators. In recent years, the city says, it spent an estimated $3.5 million on road work, staffing and police. This year, the state kicked in $5 million from its general operating fund to help offset the city's expenses. NASCAR paid the Chicago Park District $2 million for the race. What they're saying: "It's disappointing that negotiators haven't been able to move this event off the July 4th weekend — especially given how NASCAR has provided Chicago the opportunity to shine on the world stage," Ald. Bill Conway said in a statement.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New hotel tax proposal targets downtown Chicago
Chicago now applies the state Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax (HOOT) to short‑term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO, effective 1 July 2025. Hosts must pay a 6% tax on 94% of gross rental receipts, adding to existing state and municipal lodging taxes. Meanwhile, the city's tourism board, Choose Chicago, is backing a proposed Tourism Improvement District that would push the hotel tax for large downtown hotels to 18.9%, raising Chicago's already-high lodging tax to top national levels. Why short‑term rentals now face state lodging tax From July 1, 2025, Illinois law extends the 6% Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax to short‑term rentals, calculated on 94% of their gross income. Previously reserved for hotels, this tax now covers all short‑term rentals under 30 days. Hosts—not platforms—are responsible for remittance, but may pass the tax to guests. The tax complements existing assessments, such as the Chicago city tax of 4.5% plus a 6% surcharge, Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority tax, and Illinois Sports Facilities Authority levy, all applied to STRs. Tourism improvement district would raise hotel tax to 18.9% Choose Chicago has announced plans for a Tourism Improvement District (TID) targeting hotels of at least 100 rooms within defined downtown zip codes. The proposal would introduce an extra 1.5 percentage points on top of the current 17.4% hotel tax, lifting it to 18.9%. Funds would support destination marketing, global media campaigns, convention bidding incentives and event promotion—aimed at reinforcing Chicago's competitive edge. How Chicago compares with other convention cities At 17.4% today, Chicago already holds one of the highest hotel tax rates among US convention-focused cities. With the additional TID charge, the rate would reach 18.9%, potentially the highest nationally. Supporters argue the extra revenue—estimated at over $50 million annually—could boost marketing budgets to levels closer to those of Las Vegas and New York, where tourism boards enjoy significantly larger funding. However, some hoteliers and meeting planners caution that the higher cost could deter business, though the tourism board believes incentives would offset any negative impact. Looking ahead Chicago has tightened rules on short‑term rentals by extending state lodging taxes and is moving to further elevate hotel tax rates downtown. For Airbnb and VRBO hosts, the HOOT extension means higher operating costs that may be passed to guests. For hotel operators and visitors alike, the proposed Tourism Improvement District could raise room rates but aims to bolster marketing and convention attraction. As public hearings and council votes loom, the city weighs revenue gains against affordability and competitiveness in the hospitality market. "New hotel tax proposal targets downtown Chicago" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Skift
15-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
Chicago Bets on Hotel Tax to Stay Competitive
In a city where hotel taxes are among the highest in the nation, Chicago's tourism leaders say a 1.5% surcharge is the only way to stay in the game. Kristen Reynolds, just two months into her role as president and CEO of Choose Chicago, is focused on what she calls a critical priority. Establishing a Chicago Tourism Improvement District (CTID) to secure long-term funding. Brand USA's $80-million funding cut highlights the urgency. 'Sustainable funding is so important. We are one election away from people not understanding what we do, and need diversified and sustainable funding to protect us,' Reynolds said. The Chicago Tourism Improvement District would add a 1.5% surcharge to room rates at hotels with 100 rooms or more in a defined geographic area. That would bring Chicago's hotel tax — already 17.39% — to 18.89%, the highest among major U.S. convention destinations. 'We are close,' Reynolds said, noting that the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) has been working on the initiative for two years. Proposed Hotel Surcharge Would Fund Marketing and Sales Roughly half of the funds would be used for international and domestic marketing; the remainder would support sales and bidding efforts. 'For nearly a decade, Choose Chicago has been lagging in international presence. Due to a state budget stalemate, international offices had to be closed,' said Michael Jacobson, president of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association. The plan is to re-establish these offices when the TID goes into effect. In addition, there will be a marketing push in the drive market. Incentives to Meet in Chicago The fund would also be used to cover bid fees and cash incentives — tools competing cities use to win large-scale events. 'For several years, we have heard from meeting planners who were offered cash incentives to bring citywides to certain destinations. We didn't have a budget for this,' Jacobson said. 'This will re-establish our competitive edge. We are not asking for city money or state money. We are asking the city to authorize us to go and collect assessments ourselves.' Bid fees alone can be a significant barrier. Entering the competition for the Democratic National Convention, for example, required a $1 million bid just to be considered. As high as Chicago's hotel tax may be, Jacobson said the key is to stay below 20%. 'We can't hit that number, as that is the danger zone,' said Jacobson. Support is encouraging, he said. 'A majority of hotel owners signed on in the last two months. We are confident we will see movement in the next couple of months and begin collection in January of next year,' he said. Chicago had 55.3 million visitors in 2024. A 6.5% increase from the prior year, according to ?Choose Chicago. Preliminary estimates indicate international visitation topped 2 million for the first time since 2019. A year-over-year increase of more than 10%. Choose Chicago booked 1,891 meetings and conventions in 2024.
Time Out
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Chicago just launched a "Pizza Pass," getting you discount slices at 25+ pizzerias
Maybe it's because we're midwestern or maybe it's because we're Chicagoans but a cheesy pie is a staple in our diet. Whether you love our famous Chicago-style deep dish, square-cut tavern style or old-school Neapolitan, if you're planning on doing a pizza tour around the city, or you just want to game the 'za system, listen up: Chicago has launched a super sweet 'Pizza Pass', serving up discounted rates at over 25 pizzerias throughout the Windy City's neighborhoods. Choose Chicago, the official destination marketing organization and convention bureau for the city, has launched this first-ever pass for hungry tourists and locals alike. A mobile-exclusive pass will grant you discounts, free slices, and BOGO offers at participating restaurants like Gino's East, Giordano's, Home Run Inn, and Lou Malnati's. If you're going anyway, you might as well save a penny or two! Here's what to know about Chicago's new Pizza Pass. How the Chicago Pizza Pass works Step one: Spend $15 for the year and get your pass. Step two: You'll receive an immediate text and email, allowing you to save the pass to your phone's home screen. (Note: There's no app to download). Step three: Present the coupon to the pizzeria staff member and enjoy all of the saucy, cheesy perks. Exclusive advantages of the Chicago Pizza Pass If you pop in five or more spots by September 30, 2025, you will be entered into a drawing for a free pizza party for up to 20 guests. Visit ten or more pizzerias by December 31, 2025, and you could win a weekend getaway in Chicago, which includes a hotel stay, restaurant gift card, and other bonuses.
