Why doesn't Chicago come across as touristy? (Paris, Atlanta: how much, hotel)

[mas23]

I'd say it's a combination of Chicago being more of a business city like Drover said and the fact that the city does not have as much media exposure as other places like Miami, L.A. and others. Also there's not some huge landmark that draws people in(like disneywolrd for Orlando). Believe me, if Chicago was forced down our throats through the media (except when they talk about all the gang/gun violence), more people from around the world and outside the region would take interest in visiting.

Seems like most people just think of Michael Jordan, and Pizza eating Mobsters under the El train when they think of Chicago

mas23

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by Jandur

Well yes, but I don't see what difference that makes. If you live in Arizona, and went to NYC last year, what's the appeal to come to Chicago this year? I just don't see it.

A desire to travel and see America's cities I should think.

SO and I have talked about a 3 year trip rotation

Year 1: International destination
Year 2: Domestic "roadtrip" style vacation
Year 3: Domestic city (or Canada)

I think it's a shame when some people get so intent on seeing all of Europe etc. and miss out on the great destinations here in the states.

[mas23]

Also, as much as people don't want to admit, the media is pretty powerful tool. People (especially young people in particular) base their perceptions through it.

That doesn't mean Chicago is not important becuase it is but for whatever reason its not seen as a "glamorous" type city but a working city (Which is a good thing to me)

If people saw a bunch of Paris Hilton's/Kim Kardashians and C-list celebrities with no talent running around lake view that would probably draw a bunch of aspiring c-list celebrities to check the city out.

I think that speaks more on society than Chicago's importance but that a whole nother discussion right there.

mas23

EDIT: Chicago right now has about a million tourists from overseas and is the 3rd most visited country right now so thats not bad at all.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by tawfiqmp

Lets exclude regional visitors and visitors who come for friends/family. I mean outside of those people is what my original post was referring to.

Yes, this is true, but they are still visitors and usually from areas where the culture is very different even if it's "only" a 6 hour drive away. Even so, I have still met a lot of people from nowhere near the Midwest who weren't here on business.

Still top 10 for overseas visitors and barely behind Boston.
http://www.census.gov/compendia/stat...es/12s1261.xls

Still ahead of San Diego, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Houston, Anaheim/Orange County, Tampa, Dallas, and San Jose.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mas23

I'd say it's a combination of Chicago being more of a business city like Drover said and the fact that the city does not have as much media exposure as other places like Miami, L.A. and others. Also there's not some huge landmark that draws people in(like disneywolrd for Orlando). Believe me, if Chicago was forced down our throats through the media (except when they talk about all the gang/gun violence), more people from around the world and outside the region would take interest in visiting.

Seems like most people just think of Michael Jordan, and Pizza eating Mobsters under the El train when they think of Chicago

mas23

Yep, exactly. When I was in Turkey, anytime I said I am from Chicago, the only thing they'd say was "ahhhh Michael Jordan! You know him??"

[ChiNaan]

I have to agree with those who say Chicago is one of the major tourist cities in the U.S. If it doesn't "come across as touristy" to you, you haven't spent much time around the Museum campus / Grant Park / Millennium Park / Navy Pier / Magnificent Mile area. I often wish it were less touristy when I'm downtown.

Nearly everyone I know in the U.S. has been to Chicago, either for a vacation in the summer (the time when, despite the griping of locals, Chicago's weather is amazing compared to much of the U.S. due to the temperature being in double rather than triple digits) or for some kind of work related conference or training. Nearly all of them end up wanting to come back.

Globally it may not be a major tourist destination like it is in the U.S., but everyone I met in Poland and Ireland knew all about it.

The comparisons to NYC, as usual, are silly. Of course we don't have as many visitors as a much larger, much older, much more international city. Chicago will never be NYC, and we shouldn't try to be.

[edsg25]

Chicago, of course, comes across incredibly "touristy". Who do you think all those folks snapping pictures everywhere and gawking up at the skyscrapers are. You can't a block in the greater downtown area and not know what an important industry tourism is for the city.

If there is something to keep in mind with the numbers in comparison to certain other cities, I think you have to keep location in mind. Chicago may well be the least "clustered" location for attracting international tourism. Why? the tourist hitting the northeast corridor in a relatively short stretch from Boston to Washington gets those two cities, of course, along with one everyone wants to see, New York with numerous other attractions (from Cape Cod to Atlantic City to Philly, etc.) SF and LA come packaged together with all of that all those other incredible tourist attractions that make California the magnet it is; and by location, Vegas and the Grand Canyon can be categorized as virtually California.. Miami and South Florida are linked to WDW.

I have learned long ago not to knock our city's midwestern location. we are what we are because of being where we are. Chicago and the Midwest have mutually benefited from their shared location. I love the Midwest. There is plenty to see, both in the way of scenery (Door Co, Mackinac, Brown Co, Galena, etc.) and wonderful cities (Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, among others). But I realize that the draw of these places is not international. Chicago is the draw, but the trip here comes with the financial cost and time planning that dictates that basically your trip is going to be in and out of the Windy City. That unquestionably affects numbers.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

I have to agree with those who say Chicago is one of the major tourist cities in the U.S. If it doesn't "come across as touristy" to you, you haven't spent much time around the Museum campus / Grant Park / Millennium Park / Navy Pier / Magnificent Mile area. I often wish it were less touristy when I'm downtown.

Nearly everyone I know in the U.S. has been to Chicago, either for a vacation in the summer (the time when, despite the griping of locals, Chicago's weather is amazing compared to much of the U.S. due to the temperature being in double rather than triple digits) or for some kind of work related conference or training. Nearly all of them end up wanting to come back.

Globally it may not be a major tourist destination like it is in the U.S., but everyone I met in Poland and Ireland knew all about it.

The comparisons to NYC, as usual, are silly. Of course we don't have as many visitors as a much larger, much older, much more international city. Chicago will never be NYC, and we shouldn't try to be.

Of course people in Poland and Ireland have heard of Chicago; most have family or friends that immigrated to Chicago at some point.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by mas23

I'd say it's a combination of Chicago being more of a business city like Drover said and the fact that the city does not have as much media exposure as other places like Miami, L.A. and others.

Chicago has less media exposure than Miami? Huh?

Chicago has more media exposure than any other city in the U.S. except NYC, L.A., and D.C. Atlanta might be in the running simply because of CNN being headquartered there. That's about it.

Heck, I grew up 800 miles away from Chicago watching the Cubs on WGN. The only thing I knew about Miami was that the Golden Girls and Tubbs and Crocket lived there.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Kamms

Of course people in Poland and Ireland have heard of Chicago; most have family or friends that immigrated to Chicago at some point.

Yep, that was the point I was strongly implying with the ""

Many of them had been to Chicago for the same reason they had been to New York --To visit those family and friends.