Chicago set record for tourist spending in 2025, Choose Chicago tourism bureau says

Chicago set a record for tourist spending in 2025, the city's tourism marketing organization said Thursday.

Choose Chicago said the city welcomed 56.8 million visitors in 2025, generating what city officials said was a record-setting $21.5 billion in visitor spending that supported over 135,000 local jobs. Choose Chicago also said it generated more than $2.9 billion in local and state tax revenue.

"Chicago continues to prove itself as an unmatched global city and a one-of-a-kind tourism destination," Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release. "In 2025, nearly 57 million visitors from around the globe learned what we already know: Chicago offers something for everyone. From its world-class restaurants and vibrant retail corridors to its cultural attractions and museums, our beautiful city leaves travelers with lifelong memories, all while powering Illinois' robust tourism economy." 

Karl, who was visiting from Sweden, spent the afternoon on the Chicago Architecture Center's river cruise.

"We're here for the World Cup so we went to Houston to watch Sweden there, and now we're just vising Chicago," he said. "It's been great."

The center's Lauren Bakos touts the architecture tour as one of the city's premiere attractions, and said Karl's visit is indicative of a larger trend.

"Our river cruises have seen about 20 percent more guests this year over last year, our international travel is holding steady, our walking tours and bus tours are seeing great results and visitors coming out on those," Bakos said.

Chicago officials said last year the city got almost 1.5 million more visitors than in 2024, though still behind the pre-pandemic record of more than 61 million visitors set in 2019.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said there are many good reasons tourists are flocking to the city.

"Chicago's continued growth as a global destination reflects the energy, diversity, and world-class experiences that define our city," Mayor Johnson said in the release. "Tourism is a powerful economic engine that supports thousands of jobs, drives investment in our neighborhoods, and strengthens communities across Chicago. From our vibrant arts and culture scene to our renowned restaurants and welcoming hospitality, visitors from around the world continue to discover what Chicagoans have always known: There is no place quite like Chicago."

Choose Chicago also touted the city's tourism industry's resiliency in the face of high costs and a nationwide decline in international visitors.

A breakdown from the tourism bureau said there were 40.7 million domestic visitors who came to Chicago for pleasure or vacation last year, up 4.8% year over year. There were 2.2 million domestic overnight visitors, 5.7 million day-trip domestic business visitors, and 1.9 million international visitors.

International visitors declined by 8% compared to 2024, the only one of the four metrics that saw a drop.

"I was relieved by the numbers because while Choose Chicago is seeing moderate growth, most of our other competitors and destinations are seeing declines right now because of those economic and global headwinds," said Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Choose Chicago.

Hotels generated $2.9 billion in revenues in Chicago, generating $161.1 million in tax revenue for the city.

"There are some smart policies that could be made and some changes that could be made so that hotels are in a position to continue this growth," said Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association.

Jacobson said local government policies can help continue to drive increase in tourism, including maintaining Soldier Field as a top concert destination, which his group says is a major boost to hotels.

"We're hopeful that we could find an innovative way to reuse Soldier Field and repurpose it in a way that we can welcome even more great concerts and bring more visitors to the city," he said.

Choose Chicago said the majority of tourists chose to visit the city in summer – 34% of them, to be exact. Fall visits comprised 28% of tourism in 2025, winter visits 22% and spring visits 6%.