It seems that Chicago is becoming an even more popular destination for travelers, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has encountered a CTA car packed with tourists and their luggage. According to a release from Chicago's convention and tourism bureau, Choose Chicago, the city welcomed 50.97 million domestic visitors in 2015. When international visitors are factored into that figure, the total number of visitors is expected to surpass 52 million.
Why are visitors flocking to Chicago? Of the nearly 51 million visitors in 2015, nearly 40 million came to the city for leisure, while the rest were here for business. We certainly can't deny the fact that Chicago is an amazing vacation destination, filled with world class museums and restaurants. It's so great here that many of us opt for a staycation rather than a weekend getaway.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has previously set a goal to attract more than 55 million visitors to Chicago annually by 2020. If tourists continue to flock to the city, he should have no problem achieving that figure (and then some).