Despite negative remarks from former President Donald Trump, Chicago experienced growth in its tourism sector in 2025, according to Choose Chicago. At the annual meeting of the city’s tourism bureau, Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Choose Chicago, reported increases in hotel bookings, convention numbers, and hotel revenue compared to 2024.
Reynolds addressed Trump’s repeated characterizations of Chicago as unsafe and unwelcoming. She referenced a collage of media coverage showing Trump’s comments describing the city as a “hellhole,” his inaccurate statements about vacancy rates on the Magnificent Mile, and his calls for legal action against local officials. During her speech, Reynolds said: “Even the federal administration did their best to paint our city as unsafe and unwelcoming, but they failed because Chicago came together, and when we come together, the city is unstoppable. We refuse to let anyone else tell our story, and the world noticed.”
Data from Choose Chicago showed that hotel bookings reached 11.9 million in 2025, up from 11.6 million in 2024. The organization expects total visitor numbers for 2025 to surpass last year’s figure of 55.3 million when final data is released later this spring.
Convention activity also rose; there were 65 citywide conventions booked for 2025 compared to 49 in the previous year. Hotel revenue set a new record at $2.9 billion versus $2.8 billion in 2024. New major events secured by Chicago include hosting rights for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament that same year, and the MLB All-Star Game in 2027.
American Airlines announced plans for an expanded Admirals Club at O’Hare International Airport spanning over 10,000 square feet in Concourse L. The airline will operate about 525 daily departures this year with service added to 30 new destinations.
Reynolds also discussed a proposed tourism improvement district that would impose a fee—up to 1.5 percent—on short-term room rentals at Downtown hotels with more than 100 rooms for five years if approved by City Council later this month. This fee would be passed on to guests but is not officially labeled as a tax; combined with existing taxes it could bring overall charges on Downtown hotel stays up to approximately nineteen percent.
The expected $40 million per year generated by this fee aims to increase Choose Chicago’s budget so it can better compete with other major cities such as Las Vegas or Los Angeles.
