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When you think of the nation’s top tourist destinations, family favorite Orlando, Fla., and adult playground Las Vegas, Nev., might spring to mind. But our own Windy City? Depends on who you ask….
In June, tourism officials from the city and state proclaimed that the number of domestic visitors journeying to our fair city had increased by nearly ten percent, from 40.2 million in 2005 to 44.6 million in 2006 — a significant achievement, to be sure.
However, the latest figures are sourced from a new formula that includes more day-trip visitors, a fact the tourism boards did not disclose when the statistics were released earlier this summer. Under the new formula, Chicago was launched into a four-way tie for the most popular tourist destination in the country, along with Atlanta, Vegas and New York. Under the old model, which many states and cities continue to use, Chicago ranked fourth behind Orlando, Vegas and New York (tied for second), and San Diego.
As quoted in the Tribune, Doug Shiflett, the chief executive of the firm that generated the domestic visitor estimates, day trips to Chicago by people coming from 50 or more miles away were undercounted, and lodging figures underestimated the number of domestic visitors shacking up in Chicago hotel rooms.
While some hospitality hotshots believe the new figures aren’t misleading due to increases in the leisure travel industry across the board, some disagree. In the article, Mark Levine, director Center for Economic Development at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, also pointed out that 44 million domestic visitors to the city seemed rather high, especially when compared to a city like Montreal, which registered only 14 million visitors. And, when the new figures include people such as Wisconsin football fans that trek down to the city for a night game, the numbers suddenly become a bit fuzzier.
At any rate, when higher tourist figures can help with marketing and budgeting, we expect that the city will continue to use those that paint them in the best light, even if we have a bit of trouble believing a trip to the top of the John Hancock holds the same appeal as a night of raucous gambling in Vegas or a day with the Mouse down in Florida.
Photo by Asten.
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Honestly, I believe Chicago could compete with Vegas or Disneyland, assuming you're including day trippers and weekend visitors. Chicago is within easy driving distance of far more people than Las Vegas, and it doesn't carry the expense and logistical issues of the Magic Kingdom, with it's hundred bucks per person per day just to get in. If you're going to do Disney, then you make it a full-scale vacation, which means Disney is competing with places like Hawaii, the Carribean, Europe, et. al. Chicago, on the other hand, is competing with Indianapolis. Millions upon millions across 8 or 9 states can reasonably do Chicago on a whim without spending a lot of money.
I know. Like most Chicagoist readers, that's how I came to know the city.
According to Doug Shiflett
Mark Levine...pointed out
The way this is written, it makes it sound as though Olivia had direct conversations with Doug Shiflett and Mark Levine to help make sense of the information. It's misleading and dishonest to write a summary of a journalist's report and not credit the source.
"Like most Chicagoist readers, that's how I came to know the city."
Really?
I'd love to see your research. Probably as solid as these tourist numbers.
Atlanta? Is that for real? Everyone I've EVER talked to did their darnedest to get the hell out of Atlanta.
"even if we have a bit of trouble believing a trip to the top of the John Hancock holds the same appeal as a night of raucous gambling in Vegas or a day with the Mouse down in Florida."
Only because you live here. People that live in Orlando have zero fucking interest in Mickey Mouse. Vegas may be a different story, as everyone is indirectly employed by the casinos. But don't kid yourself about stuff like the Hancock and Sears skydecks...they are destinations to thousands who have never seen anything higher than the neighborhood sled hill.
and there's only 24 homeless people downtown.
I wonder what Alicia Dore has to say about all this.
I used to drive pass wrigley field every day. Whenever I saw people taking the obligatory picture of each other in front of the stadium, it always made me feel lucky to live here. I guess I imagined those people living in some bland suburbia...or some lonely heartland.
Chicago has a lot of little things like that going for it. It makes it near impossible to really quantify tourism, I would think. The Vegas and Orlando experience is only more obvious and easy to count.
I'm willing to believe the numbers. But that may be the advil talking.