IPW is the largest inbound travel trade show of the United States
Choose Chicago, the official tourism organisation for Chicago, which will host the next edition of IPW, the largest inbound travel trade show of the United States, says it has carried out successful business meetings and promotion of the city during IPW 2024 that was held recently in Los Angeles.
In a press statement, Choose Chicago says that with its delegation that combined the city’s hospitality, tourism and civic leaders, it laid the groundwork for next year’s IPW, which will be held in Chicago from June 14 to 18, 2025.
The Choose Chicago team says it engaged in over 250 appointments with travel industry professionals and conducted more than 100 interviews and appointments with domestic and international media.
The statement adds that exhibiting partners present at IPW 2024 included major attractions such as 360 Chicago, Chicago Architecture Centre, Chicago Cubs, Field Museum and many others, ensuring that Chicago’s unique offerings were front and centre throughout the event.
Rich Gamble
“IPW provides an unmatched platform to showcase Chicago’s rich tapestry of cultural, culinary, and architectural offerings to a global audience. Our active engagement here sets a strong precedent for what we will deliver when we host IPW next year,” says Rich Gamble, Interim President and CEO at Choose Chicago.
Glenn Eden
“The engagement of our civic and hospitality industry partners at IPW 2025 shows the importance and impact of tourism to the economy of our city and state. I personally cannot wait to welcome the world to Chicago next June,” says Glenn Eden, Choose Chicago Board Chair.
The statement adds that Choose Chicago also held a future host city press conference on the theme “Welcome to Our House” in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the birth of house music in Chicago.
The press conference, attended by approximately 500 international media, served as a strategic platform to position Chicago as the premier destination for international leisure and MICE travellers in anticipation of IPW 2025.
In a nod to the centennial anniversary of Route 66, the board also presented a Blues Brothers-themed welcome video presentation during the “Route to Chicago” handover luncheon, followed by speeches by Gamble and Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism in front of over 5,500 national and international travel professionals.
Kenya Merritt
“The energy and engagement we have seen at IPW 2024 reinforces Chicago’s status as a world-class city for both leisure and business travellers. I am so excited to bring this momentum back home and continue to elevate our city’s profile on the global stage,” says Kenya Merritt, Deputy Mayor, Chicago.
Daniel Thomas
“The relationships forged at IPW are invaluable. Past IPWs have generated billions of dollars in additional economic impact through increased international visitation to past host cities, and we anticipate a significant boost in global travellers choosing Chicago and Illinois in the years following our hosting next year,” says Daniel Thomas, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism.
The statement adds that past IPWs have driven more than USD 5.5 billion in additional economic impact to previous host cities’ markets through increased international visitation. Key tourism metrics are trending positively, where visitor spending in Chicago generated an estimated USD 1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2023.
Hotel revenue in 2023 was approximately USD 2.5 billion, 102 pc of immediate pre-pandemic levels and an all-time high and Chicago hotels set a new Q1 revenue record this year at USD 346 million, generating a record over USD 60 million in hotel taxes for Illinois and Chicago.
“The engagement of our civic and hospitality industry partners at IPW 2025 shows the importance and impact of tourism to the economy of our city and state. I personally cannot wait to welcome the world to Chicago next June,” adds Eden.
