Choose Chicago Takes Center Stage at IPW 2024

Choose Chicago closed out successful business meetings and promotion of Chicago at IPW 2024, the largest inbound travel trade show in the United States, held in Los Angeles May 3 – 7. Leading a delegation of the city's hospitality, tourism, and civic leaders, Choose Chicago laid the groundwork for next year’s IPW, which will be hosted in Chicago June 14 – 18, 2025. Exhibiting partners present at IPW 2024 included major attractions such as 360 CHICAGO, Chicago Architecture Center, Chicago Cubs, Field Museum, and many others, ensuring that Chicago’s unique offerings were front and center throughout the event.

“IPW provides an unmatched platform to showcase Chicago's rich tapestry of cultural, culinary, and architectural offerings to a global audience,” said Rich Gamble, Interim President and CEO at Choose Chicago. “Our active engagement here sets a strong precedent for what we will deliver when we host IPW next year.”

“The engagement of our civic and hospitality industry partners at IPW 2025 shows the importance and impact of tourism to the economy of our city and state,” said Choose Chicago Board Chair Glenn Eden. “I personally cannot wait to welcome the world to Chicago next June.”

The city's presence at IPW kicked off the first night and continued throughout the trade show with a vibrant trade show booth in a prominent position on the convention show floor and numerous brand activations. On Friday evening, Choose Chicago hosted a private media reception - a house music party in honor of the genre's 40th anniversary - attended by over 100 domestic and international media and DJed by Chip E., the architect of house music. Chicago and Illinois themed activations took place throughout the show in the lobby of the Convention Center as delegates and media arrived and departed. From a Chicago mural photo opportunity to Route 66 highlights, and a house music happy hour with DJ Chip E. and Chicago hot dogs and beer. Choose Chicago and the Illinois Office of Tourism drew significant attention during peak attendance times. Representatives from Choose Chicago also participated in pre-scheduled business appointments at the trade show booth, at media marketplace day with pre-scheduled domestic and international media appointments and attended numerous networking events throughout the conference.

Choose Chicago also held a future host city press conference on the theme “Welcome to Our House” in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the birth of house music in Chicago. The press conference, attended by over 400 international media, included a speaking program featuring Chicago Deputy Mayor Kenya Merritt, Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, Rich Gamble, and Glenn Eden, both of Choose Chicago. The press conference culminated in a spectacular house meets blues performance featuring house music DJs Lori Branch and Chip E. and blues musicians Billy Branch and Wayne Baker Brooks. 

In a nod to the centennial anniversary of Route 66, Rich Gamble, Interim President and CEO of Choose Chicago, and Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, presented a welcome video and speech during the “Route to Chicago” handover luncheon. Held on the last day of the conference, the luncheon positioned Chicago and Illinois as leading destinations in front of over 5,500 national and international travel professionals.

The Chicago delegation included the following leaders from the local tourism, hospitality, and civic communities:

• Glenn Eden, Chair – Choose Chicago Board of Directors

• Lori Healey, Senior Vice President, OPC Implementation – Obama Foundation

• Michael Jacobson, President and CEO – Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association

• Seth Kagy, General Manager – Navy Pier

• Jim Kenyon, Executive Vice President – Intersport

• Jan Kostner, Senior Vice President, Membership and Corporate Relations – Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

• Patrick Maciello, Manager of Events – Obama Presidential Center

• Deputy Mayor Kenya Merritt – City of Chicago

• Gemma Mulvihill, Executive Director of Sales – Broadway in Chicago

• Matt Petersen, Sports & Entertainment Consultant – Petey Sponsorship Consulting

• Charles Smith, Vice Chair – World Business Chicago

• Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton – State of Illinois

• Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director – Illinois Office of Tourism

• Lisa Timbo, Area General Manager – Marriott International

• Scott Weiner, Principal & Co-founder – The Fifty/50 Group

Deputy Mayor Merritt shared, “The energy and engagement we've seen at IPW 2024 reinforces Chicago's status as a world-class city for both leisure and business travelers. I am so excited to bring this momentum back home and continue to elevate our city's profile on the global stage.”

“The relationships forged at IPW are invaluable,” said Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism. “Past IPWs have generated billions of dollars in additional economic impact through increased international visitation to past host cities, and we anticipate a significant boost in global travelers choosing Chicago and Illinois in the years following our hosting next year.”

Key statistics from IPW 2024:

• 5,700 delegates participated, marking a 20% increase from the previous year’s IPW in San Antonio.

• 2,000 international buyers and over 600 media representatives from 70 countries attended.

• The Choose Chicago team engaged in over 250 appointments with travel industry professionals and conducted more than 100 interviews and appointments with domestic and international media.

Strong representation at key travel industry shows like IPW is critical to driving future visitation to Chicago. Past IPWs have driven more than $5.5 billion in additional economic impact to previous host cities' markets through increased international visitation.

Key tourism metrics are trending positively. Visitor spending in Chicago generated an estimated $1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2023. Hotel revenue in 2023 was approximately $2.5 billion, 102% of immediate pre-pandemic levels and an all-time high; and Chicago hotels set a new Q1 revenue record this year at $346 million, generating a record $60 million+ in hotel taxes for Illinois and Chicago. The presence of multiple major shows and events is expected to extend this positive trend through May and into the summer.

Visit Choose Chicago's website for more information on IPW 2025 in Chicago.