Skift Take
Chicago needs to make a bold statement about who it is and what it offers to attract the growing number of foreign tourists ready to spend time and money in the U.S.
International tourists are bolstering the economies of major U.S. cities with one notable and surprising exception. Chicago, the home of deep dish pizza, blues and President Obama, has yet to see the many benefits of global tourism growth.
The windy city welcomed 1.378 million overseas visitors in 2013, capturing just a 4.3% market share and coming in ninth among U.S. cities most visited by international visitors, according to data from the U.S. National Travel & Tourism Office.
This is far fewer tourists and lower market share than obvious competitors New York (29.9% market share) and Los Angeles (11.8%), San Francisco (9.5%), Honolulu (8%) and Washington, D.C. (5.3%).
Competitive Markets
Chicago's O'Hare surpr
