Choose Chicago updates agents on latest offerings...and all that jazz

Be who you are. Do whatever you want. Experience.

This is the main message of Choose Chicago’s Welcome Home campaign, which was the backbone to an informative seminar and lunch hosted by Chicago’s tourism board last week (Nov 1) at St. James Cathedral Centre in downtown Toronto.

The event welcomed 40 travel agents to network with nearly a dozen suppliers from the Chicago area, from hoteliers to museums, such as the Museum of Science and Industry and the Art Institute of Chicago, to popular attractions, such as Blue Man Group and the Shedd Aquarium. 

“Toronto is the biggest feeder market for Chicago, it’s important for [suppliers] to meet the trade as they’re the people who are building the packages. We need to learn from them how we can better sell Chicago,” Arnaldo Altoran, director of global development at Choose Chicago, told PAX at the trade show-style event.

Sometimes referred to as The Windy City, Chicago is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and is the third most populous city in the United States. According to Altoran, 485,000 Canadians visited Chicago last year, a fraction of the 55.2 million people total who visited in 2017.

Of the many attractions Chicago has to offer, from celebrated theatres, museums, landmarks, dining and excursions on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, the city’s most popular attraction is Cloud Gate – nicknamed The Bean – a stainless steel sculpture by Indian-born British artist Sir Anish Kapoor in AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park in the Chicago Loop area.

“It’s the number one attraction in the Midwest,” Altoran told PAX, citing that 9.2 million people visit the mirrored, bean-shaped sculpture annually.

How exactly do they measure that? “It’s all through the selfies [people post],” Altoran said.  “Everyone wants a selfie.”

Chicago’s theatre scene is also booming as major productions such as Rent, Cats and, of course, Chicago, are currently winning over musical lovers. Toronto-based singer Cleopatra Williams was present at Choose Chicago’s luncheon to perform hit songs from all three aforementioned shows.  

CHICAGO BY THE NUMBERS

• 56 museums
• 77 neighbourhoods
• 580 parks
• 5,195 restaurants (22 of which are Michelin-starred)
• 225 music venues
• 41 km of lakefront
• 250 theatres

GETTING THERE

Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, United and American Airlines all offer direct routes from Canada to Chicago. Once you land, getting into downtown Chicago is easily accessible by car, train or taxi. From O’Hare International (ORD), it’s 27 km; from Midway International Airport (MDW), it’s just 18 km.

The eight hour drive from Toronto to Chicago is also an option.

There are many ways of getting around Chicago once you’re there, such as by train, 140 bus routes, boat and cruises along the lake, taxis, Uber, and Lyft, a Chicago Divvy bike (the city’s bike share program) and Big Bus Chicago (a hop-on, hop-off double-decker bus service).

ARCHITECTURE AND VIEWS

Chicago is known for its famous architecture styles as seen by Marina City, Pavilion at Lincoln Park Zoo, Aqua, the Rookery, Art Institute of Chicago, Robie House and Willis Tower (its Skydeck, located on the 103^rd floor, offers soaring views all the way to Wisconsin on a clear day).

The 360 CHICAGO observation deck, located 1,000 feet above the popular Magnificent Mile in the John Hancock Building, offers 360 degrees views of the city skyline and Lake Michigan. This attraction is also where you’ll find TILT, a sky-high thrill ride, which consists of an enclosed moving platform that literally tilts guests out of the building and over Michigan Avenue from the 94th Floor. 

WHAT’S NEW?

From now until December 30th, the city’s commitment to public art and culture takes centre stage as part of Art on theMART, an interactive light projection show on the front façade of the massive building formerly known as The Merchandise Mart in the River North submarket. Projections are displayed Wed.-Sun. at 7:15 p.m. for two hours.

New hotels to open this year include Hotel Zachary, Moxy, Sophy Hyde Park, Hiltons at McCormick Place, Homewood Suites South Loop, Canopy by Hilton Chicago Loop, Julian, Nobu Hotel, and Aloft Magnificent Mile.

Odyssey Cruises’ newest glass-enclosed vessel, Odyssey Chicago River, takes guests on a fine dining river experience while offering panoramic views of the city year-round.

Popular annual events are also ongoing, such as the 23^rd Christkindlmarket (Nov. 16-Dec. 24), Magnificent Mile Lights Festival (Nov. 16-17), Chicago Restaurant Week (late Jan-early Feb. 2019), Chicago Theatre Week (mid-Feb. 2019), Chicago Riverwalk Summer Programming (late May-Oct 2019), Millennium Park Summer Music Film Series (June-Aug. 2019) and the 14st Chicago Jazz Festival (Aug-Sept 2019).

For more information, visit choosechicago.com.