Contacts:
Meghan Risch
CCTB
312-567-8540
mrisch@choosechicago.com
Joyce Rowe
COT
312-742-2036
Joyce.rowe@cityofchicago.org
(Chicago) October 24, 2006- Chicago’s hospitality leaders released 2005 economic impact figures today. According to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) and the Chicago Office of Tourism (COT), 33.04 million domestic and overseas travelers visited Chicago last year generating nearly $10 billion for the city of Chicago. This is a 7 percent increase from 2004.
Domestic business and leisure travelers spent a total of $8.8 billion in direct expenditures, which includes transportation, lodging and entertainment.
Chicago visitors generated $3.8 billion in salary wages, which created nearly 129,000 industry jobs for Chicago residents. Domestic and international spending also generated nearly $560 million in tax revenues for Chicago and Illinois governments, up 5.6 percent from 2004.
“Chicago continues to surpass national forecast in terms of visitor numbers and economic growth” said Tim Roby, CCTB President. “These strong numbers prove the positive effect Chicago’s convention and tourism industry impacts the city and its economy.”
Chicago saw healthy gains in domestic business travel with nearly 13.78 million business travelers visiting Chicago in 2005 which generated over $5 billion for the city of Chicago, a 7 percent increase from 2004. Business travel made up 60 percent of the city’s total travel expenditures.
“These strong numbers reflect the record-breaking numbers our conventions have been seeing in recent years,” said Roby.
On the leisure side, Chicago hosted 18 million leisure visitors. These leisure visitors spent nearly $3.6 billion in direct expenditures, increasing spending by 6%. Leisure visitor spending supported 46,000 jobs for area residents.
“Chicago's appeal as a family-friendly, culturally vibrant destination is growing both domestically and internationally,” said Dorothy Coyle, Director of the Chicago Office of Tourism, “With our tremendous range of events and experiences, from free concerts in the Cultural Center, to ice skating and family programs at Millennium Park, as well as neighborhood theaters, restaurants and shops, it is easy to see why our leisure numbers continue to increase each year.”
Added Roby, “Chicago’s economic numbers look to increase in the next few years with the opening of the McCormick Place West Building, opening August 2007. To date, we have 57 shows booked, which will generate an estimated $816 million in direct expenditures for the city of Chicago.”
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Source: Travel Industry Association of America, D.K. Shifflet Associates, Ltd., Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau