What Choose Chicago does

Choose Chicago is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the City of Chicago, founded in 2011 and headquartered at 301 E. Cermak Rd. It operates as a non-profit entity under Illinois law, functioning as a content and booking aggregation platform (choosechicago.com) rather than a single software product. The organization's core technology consists of a standard website and digital marketing stack with Expedia-powered booking integration for hotels, flights, packages, and activities; there is no proprietary technology platform identified. Supporting services include the Chicago Greeter free tour program, Chicago Restaurant Week, Chicago Theatre Week, Chicago Alfresco, Chicago Brew Pass, the Chicago Sports Commission division, and Meeting & Convention Services with an RFP portal for planners. An automated chatbot handles basic customer inquiries.

The organization's business model is funded primarily through hotel taxes and the Tourism Improvement District (TID), a 1.5% surcharge on hotels with 100+ rooms that generates an estimated $40-43 million annually; pre-TID operating budget was approximately $33 million, bringing total annual budget to roughly $73-76 million post-2025. In March 2026 the hotel tax was raised to 19% (highest in the U.S.) to support convention bidding and the 2028 Democratic National Convention. Secondary revenue comes from partnership programs with hotels, attractions, and restaurants that pay for featured placement and co-marketing.

Choose Chicago serves two primary customer segments: leisure travelers (individuals and families visiting for tourism, events, and culture) and meeting planners and convention organizers (B2B, served through an RFP portal and dedicated sales staff). International visitors and sports event organizers constitute secondary segments. The organization distributes through its website, travel-trade networks, direct meeting-planner engagement, the Expedia booking integration, and a flagship Amazon Prime Day partnership launched in 2026 that positioned Chicago as the exclusive bookable U.S. travel destination during the June 23-26 event.

Name

Choose Chicago

Legal name

Choose Chicago

Website

https://choosechicago.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Choose Chicago is Chicago's official non-profit destination marketing organization, funded by hotel taxes and a Tourism Improvement District. It operates the choosechicago.com content and booking platform, serves leisure travelers and meeting planners, and runs major campaigns and events to drive tourism to the city.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Tourism Promotion

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

MICE & Event DMCs (Meetings/Incentives/Conferences) (THAKAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA), Inbound DMCs (Full-Service Ground Handling) (THAKAEAA)

Keywords

• Destination marketing organization
• Tourism promotion services
• Convention sales support
• Travel trade marketing
• Visitor information services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Hotel Tax Revenue: Primary funding comes from hotel taxes. Chicago raised hotel tax to 19% (highest in the US), with revenue managed by the Tourism Improvement District (TID) to fund marketing campaigns and convention bid fees.
2. Tourism Improvement District (TID): 1.5% surcharge on hotels with 100+ rooms generating estimated $40-43 million annually for tourism promotion.
3. Partnership Programs: Revenue from partnership programs with hotels, attractions, restaurants, and other tourism stakeholders who pay to be featured and promoted.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Choose Chicago operates the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the City of Chicago, providing tourism promotion, visitor information, convention sales support, and booking aggregation via its website and partner networks. Core deliverables include editorial travel content, event listings, hotel/flight/activity booking through Expedia integration, meeting planner services (RFPs, venue finding, hotel collections), and signature programs such as Chicago Restaurant Week, Chicago Greeter tours, and Chicago Sports Commission event bidding. The organization also runs destination marketing campaigns targeting leisure travelers, international visitors, and convention organizers.

Product overview

Choose Chicago operates as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the City of Chicago, functioning as a content and booking aggregation platform rather than a single software product. The core offering is the choosechicago.com website, which combines editorial tourism content, event discovery, and transactional booking capabilities (via Expedia integration) for hotels, flights, packages, and activities. Supporting services include the Chicago Greeter free tour program, Chicago Restaurant Week and Chicago Theatre Week event programs, Chicago Alfresco seasonal dining initiative, Chicago Brew Pass craft beer experience, Chicago Sports Commission sports tourism division, and Meeting & Convention Services for planners. The organization also runs marketing campaigns including 'All For The Love of Chicago' and 'Never Done, Never Outdone.' All booking transactions are processed through Expedia, while the website also integrates with Amazon for Prime Day travel deals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chicago Sports Commission: Division focused on sports event bidding, hosting, and promotion for Chicago
• Chicago Greeter
• Choose Chicago Foundation
• All For The Love of Chicago
• Never Done, Never Outdone

Products and services

• Choose Chicago Website (choosechicago.com) Official destination marketing website for Chicago featuring editorial tourism content, event listings, hotel/flight/activity booking (powered by Expedia), neighborhood guides, meeting planner resources, and travel trade information for individual travelers and meeting planners.
• Chicago Greeter Free guided tour service connecting visitors with local Chicagoans for personalized neighborhood explorations and authentic cultural experiences.
• Chicago Restaurant Week Annual dining event featuring fixed-price menus at participating Chicago restaurants, promoting the local culinary scene and supporting the hospitality industry.
• Chicago Theatre Week Annual theatre festival offering discounted tickets to performances across Chicago's theatre venues.
• Chicago Alfresco Seasonal outdoor dining program that expands sidewalk café and outdoor seating options across Chicago neighborhoods during warmer months.
• Chicago Brew Pass Craft beer tasting experience allowing visitors to sample beers at participating Chicago breweries with a single pass.
• Chicago Sports Commission Division dedicated to attracting major sporting events to Chicago, supporting event organizers, and promoting sports-related tourism.
• Meeting & Convention Services Comprehensive services for meeting planners and convention organizers including RFP submission, hotel collections, venue finding, venue search, vendor services, and convention calendar management.
• Travel Trade Resources Resources and tools for travel trade professionals including group itineraries, marketing tools, travel support, motorcoach information, and travel trade calendar.
• Choose Chicago Partner Program Partnership program for businesses to advertise, sponsor, and gain visibility through Choose Chicago's marketing channels and promotional platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55+ million visitors in 2024 (6.5% increase)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, strategic and minor.

• AmazonflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 June 2026First-ever partnership making Chicago the exclusive bookable travel destination during Amazon Prime Day (June 23-26). Chicago hotels offered 20% discounted rates through Amazon's Prime Day Travel Deals experience, powered by Expedia and available into Q1 2027. Positions Chicago to reach millions of consumers during one of the largest online shopping events globally.
• ExpediacoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2026Technology partner powering hotel booking integration for Amazon Prime Day travel deals partnership. Provides booking platform infrastructure for promotional hotel rates.
• MLB TourismstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2025Partnership with MLB Tourism to promote American destinations during the 2025 MLB World Tour: Tokyo Series. Hosted hospitality events and engaged with Japanese travel trade professionals and media to drive future visitation to Chicago.
• Chicago CubsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2025Partnered with Chicago Cubs for 2025 MLB World Tour: Tokyo Series promotional activities to showcase Chicago as a travel destination to Japanese audiences.
• Los Angeles DodgersstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2025Participated alongside Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo Series promotional events to promote U.S. destinations including Chicago to Japanese travel trade and media.
• American AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing air connectivity information and promotional support for Chicago tourism marketing efforts.
• United AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing flight connectivity information and promotional support for Chicago tourism marketing efforts.
• Southwest AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing air connectivity information and promotional support for Chicago tourism marketing efforts.
• O'Hare and Midway International AirportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirport partners providing flight connectivity information and promotional support for Chicago tourism marketing efforts.
• Brand USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational tourism marketing organization partnership for international destination promotion and marketing campaigns.
• CityPASSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAttraction pass partner providing discount packages for visitors to Chicago attractions.
• Enjoy IllinoisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllinois state tourism partner for regional tourism promotion and marketing initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NYC & Company: Official DMO and convention bureau for New York City, the most direct domestic peer to Choose Chicago in scale, mission (leisure + meetings), funding model (hotel taxes), and global marketing footprint.
• Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board: Official DMO for Los Angeles with comparable mix of leisure tourism, convention sales, and international promotion; similar revenue model tied to hotel taxes and Tourism Improvement District assessments.
• Visit Orlando: DMO for one of the U.S.'s top convention and leisure destinations; shares the same TID funding structure and balance of meeting planner RFP services with leisure marketing that Choose Chicago operates.
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA): DMO for Las Vegas with strong convention and trade show focus; directly comparable to Choose Chicago's MICE-driven model around McCormick Place and IPW 2025 hosting.
• Visit Denver: Mid-major U.S. city DMO with parallel convention sales, leisure marketing, and hotel-tax-funded budget structure; useful comp for Choose Chicago's mid-tier DMO economics.
• Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau: Convention and visitors bureau serving a major U.S. metro with similar mix of meetings/convention sales, leisure marketing, and international trade outreach.

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: National destination marketing organization and a stated Choose Chicago partner; broader portfolio covering all U.S. states but comparable mission of international tourism promotion and trade show engagement (e.g., IPW).
• Visit California: State-level destination marketing organization with significantly larger budget and global reach; comparable in international promotion and content-led marketing strategy though broader in geographic scope.

Regional players

• Experience Columbus: Midwest-based DMO with comparable convention + leisure tourism mission and similar operating scale to Choose Chicago; useful peer for benchmarking mid-sized U.S. city DMO performance.
• Discover Long Island: DMO where incoming Choose Chicago CEO Kristen Reynolds served for a decade; provides direct comparability for executive leadership benchmarking and operating model continuity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChooseChicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChooseChicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Choose Chicago