City's tourism team says it's time Chicago turns 'cold into a wonderful party'

[National Lamp]

I'm low-key stoked about this idea ! Chicago has so much to offer during the winter season, from Christkindlmarket to Navy Pier , it's just a matter of getting people excited about it . I mean, who doesn't love a good excuse to get cozy with some hot cocoa and ice skating? ️ The city's unique cultural attractions, dining options, and scenic beauty are major draws in my book . And let's be real, those Bears playoff games were a total game-changer (pun intended) ! I'm all for the tourism team putting their best foot forward and showcasing what Chicago has to offer during the winter months . It's time to shift our mindset from "ugh, it's cold outside" to "bring on the snow and festive vibes!"

 

[Excited E]

I just looked at some stats on tourism trends . Did you know that Chicago gets around 50 million visitors per year? That's crazy! Meanwhile, NYC is like a snow bunny compared to us - they get like 130 million or something! What I find interesting is the data on winter tourists. Apparently, cities with mild winters (I'm looking at you, NYC) are seeing an increase in visitors during the cold months. It's all about creating that cozy atmosphere, right? ️ The numbers also show that Chicago has a huge advantage when it comes to food and drink - we're talking 4 million+ visitors to Navy Pier alone for Christkindlmarket! That's insane! And have you seen the demographics of our winter tourists? Mostly from the Midwest and Northeast, with a big chunk coming from Canada . If they can tap into that regional drive market, we're golden!

 

[Black Buf]

omg i totally get what they're saying chicago has so much to offer in the winter season already like navy pier ice skating, christkindlmarket, and the magnificent mile's festiv atmosphere... but we need more marketing efforts to attract tourists from other places, not just locals also think it would be awesome if they hosted a big christmas tree contest in millenium park or something and i love how choose chicago is pushing for this, even tho there might be negative comments from other cities we should be proud of our own winter wonderland instead of comparing ourselves to nyc

 

[Lonely]

COME ON CHICAGO!!! IT'S TIME TO SHAKE OFF THAT DEFENSIVE ATTITUDE AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH!!! I mean, who needs to compete with NYC when you've got YOUR OWN UNIQUE VIBE GOING ON?!?! From Christkindlmarket to Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile is calling your name and it's time to answer! LET'S GET THIS WINTER PARTY STARTED AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT CHICAGO'S ALL ABOUT!!!

 

[Misty Macaw]

I'm still thinking about this NYC thing... I mean, how they can just turn it into a party . And then I started reading this article about Chicago trying to do the same thing . I think it's cool that they're trying to shift their focus from summer vibes to winter wonderland vibes. But I'm still not sure if it's gonna work... like, what if people don't wanna trade in their flip flops for snow boots just yet ?

And I love how Kristen Reynolds is calling out the fact that Chicago has some amazing cultural attractions and food options - we should be showcasing those all year round! Maybe they can do a winter version of Taste of Chicago or something? That would be lit .

I also liked what Guy Chipparoni said about not letting negative headlines get to them... we need more positivity vibes in this city . And I agree that the Bears playoff games were a great test case for showing off our winter charm .

But what do you guys think? Can Chicago really turn cold into a wonderful party? Let's keep the conversation going!

 

[Electric Acid on]

I'm kinda curious about this idea - turning cold into a wonderful party ... I mean, it makes sense, right? New York seems to be doing really well during their winter holiday season, so why not us? But what's gonna make Chicago stand out from the crowd? We've got some awesome summer vibes going on, but wintertime is a whole different story . I guess it's all about marketing and highlighting our unique attractions... like Christkindlmarket, Navy Pier, and that amazing food scene! What do you think would draw in visitors from out of town? Should we focus more on the cultural stuff or go for some fun winter activities?