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A note from the Interim President and CEO
Dear Partners,
Thank you to all who attended last week’s partner engagement event with the DNC at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery. For those who were unable to attend, DNC Chicago Host Committee Executive Director Christy George shared the latest updates on the planning process ahead of the convention in August. Ms. George also shared several practical action items that local business partners can consider to help ensure that we are collectively projecting a positive image for our city when we are under a national spotlight in August. (See the DNC Corner section below for some of those suggested action items.) You can find her full presentation in the Choose Chicago Partner Extranet.
2024 is shaping up to be a banner year for Chicago. Along with high-profile events like NASCAR, Lollapalooza, and the DNC, we are welcoming back IMTS, the largest manufacturing technology trade show in the U.S. Additionally, Microsoft Ignite is coming back to Chicago for the first time since 2015. This will be the largest corporate meeting of the year, and an exciting win for the Choose team.
I encourage everyone who hasn’t already done so to subscribe to our Why Chicago Roundup e-newsletter published in partnership with M. Harris & Co. and World Business Chicago. The newsletter will hit your inboxes twice per month and highlights positive stories of the people, organizations, and initiatives that make Chicago the Best Big City in the U.S.
In a final note, it is officially spring and there is so much to do and look forward to in Chicago! I hope you’ll take a few minutes to check out some current and upcoming events and make a plan to get out and enjoy the city as we all look forward to the warmer weather ahead.
Sincerely,
Rich Gamble
Interim President & CEO
Choose Chicago
Welcome new partners
- Anelya
- Chicago Black Car Service
- Chicago Museum Tours
- CMB Catering
- Justice of the Pies
- Kinetic Events Staffing
- Peach’s on 47th
- PeopleReady
- Pilsen Public Art Tours
- South Shore Social Beach Club
- Studio Sage
- Three Dots and a Dash
- Tre Dita
- Residence Inn, Magnificent Mile
Sales and Services update
A summertime crowd of visitors at the iconic Navy Pier
Sales leadership recently met with Navy Pier and OVG Management to strategize on how Choose Chicago can help drive more meetings and events to the iconic venue. By bringing together leadership at Navy Pier, nearby hotels, and transportation partners, Choose Chicago is working to create a coalition of hospitality providers that will collaborate to attract additional large-scale events.
The Sales team has also been working to ensure we are represented at a variety of recent and upcoming national industry events, including:
- AMC Institute Annual Meeting (our first time attending the event)
- MPI Northern California Annual Conference & Experience
- James Beard Foundation Taste America: Philadelphia
- Association Forum 2024 Women’s Executive Forum
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this piece in Meetings Today featuring an interview with Choose Chicago’s SVP of Sales and Client Services, Dustin Arnheim, and highlighting the many assets that make our city America’s premiere destination for meetings, conventions, and events of every size.
Recent Shows and Upcoming Shows and Events at McCormick Place
Recent Media Highlights
Top right: Choose Chicago team members Lisa Nucci, CMO; Matthew Guillory, Director of Tourism & Global Development; Michelle Gonzalez, VP of Media Relations; and Amari Silverman, Media Relations Manager at ITB Berlin earlier this month
The Media Relations team participated in TravMedia’s annual International Media Marketplace (IMM) and Summit in New York, NY (January 24-25) and Media Marketplace in Berlin, Germany (March 4). IMM is the leading global networking event connecting the travel industry with editors, journalists, broadcasters, and influencers.
The Media Relations team participated in ITB Berlin March 5-7, the world’s largest travel trade fair, taking media appointments throughout the show at our Choose Chicago booth as well as participating in a Choose Chicago booth in the LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion, Diversity Tourism’s LGBTQ+ media brunch, Visit USA Germany’s media breakfast, and Diversity Tourism’s ITB Diversity Gala 2024.
- CNN | Meet Europeans who moved to the US and say there’s no going back
- WGN | Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day With Cruises, Specials & More
- Meetings Today | Chicago Is Making a Comeback. How the City Is Set Up for Meetings and Events Success
- NBC5 | Englewood business owner prepares to make history, excel at DNC
- Crain’s Chicago Business | Opinion: Tourism is not a luxury. It’s an economic imperative. (op-ed by Choose Chicago Board Member and Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association President and CEO, Michael Jacobson)
- CBS2 | Thousands of Chicago Public Schools students attend annual Skilled Trades Career Fair at McCormick Place
- Chicago Tribune | Microsoft Ignite conference returns to Chicago in November after 9-year hiatus
- Chicago Business Journal | Microsoft Ignite to return to Chicago and McCormick Place in November
April Partner Showcase Event
RSVP here for the April 17 Choose Chicago Partner Showcase, our exciting and vibrant trade show featuring 40+ innovative local partner businesses. This event offers an exclusive opportunity to discover the newest products and services to help elevate your business and provide an unparalleled experience for your customers. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, solutions, or valuable connections, you’re sure to find it here.
When: Wednesday, April 17 | 11am – 1:30pm
Where: McCormick Place West Building
Student Partnership Shadow Day Recap
Student Partnership Shadow Day participants at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago Mag Mile hotel
THANK YOU to all of our partners who participated in the Choose Chicago Student Partnership Shadow Day on Friday, March 1! The event was a great success with over 50 student participants across 33 local partner host organizations. Learn more about the Choose Chicago Student Partnership Program and how you can get involved here.
Partner Extranet Training Opportunities
We’re excited to introduce our partners to the new and improved Partner Extranet launching April 1. The upgraded site provides a more user-friendly experience with increased functionality to help manage your partnership account, online listing(s), images/videos, amenities, and so much.
To help you get the most out of this resource, we have offered multiple virtual training sessions to ensure you can easily navigate the portal and continue to manage your partnership seamlessly. Only one session is still upcoming. RSVP here for Thursday, March 21 | 2 – 3pm
Congrats to Lori Adlesick
Lori Adlesick, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Events at Choose Chicago, has been recognized as a Visionary in Smart Meetings’ 9th annual Smart Women In Meetings Awards. Please join us in congratulating Lori on this outstanding achievement!
IPW Corner
When is it happening?
IPW 2024 (Los Angeles): May 3 – 7, 2024
IPW 2025 (Chicago): June 14 – 18, 2025
Why does IPW matter for my business?
IPW presents a unique and valuable opportunity for local tourism, hospitality, and entertainment-oriented businesses to generate new business with travel buyers from around the world. In addition to opportunities to generate business directly, the presence of this travel mega-show consistently leads to increased future visitation to the host market.
How can I learn more and get involved?
- Registration for IPW 2025 in Chicago will open after the conclusion of IPW 2024 in LA, so expect to see registration information released in late May to early June.
- Choose Chicago will host an IPW 2025 overview and partner education event in late May. Registration links will be sent in advance so be on the lookout in the coming weeks.
DNC Corner
Some action items to consider from DNC Chicago Host Committee Executive Director, Christy George, to ensure we are collectively projecting a positive image for our city this August:
- Consider beautification of storefronts and public spaces in or near your businesses (e.g., window displays, adding planters with blue flowers)
- Post signage welcoming DNC delegates in your businesses
- Ensure that your business licenses are up to date and keep in mind official capacity guidelines when booking events during the convention week
- Make sure your businesses are registered in the DNC vendor portal
- Sign up to volunteer! The DNC needs 12k volunteers and more than 9k individuals have expressed interest so far
- Check out the DNC presentation from our previous partner engagement event here
If you need to update a listing on the vendor directory, please email vendors@chicago2024.com
