Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Sunday that the city has reached a goal of attracting 55 million yearly visitors two years ahead of schedule.
The number of visitors to the city was up by 1.5 million in 2017, a 2.5 percent increase over 2016, according to the mayor’s office. Last year, 55.2 million people visited the city. “Tourism in Chicago means jobs throughout Chicago,” Emanuel said in a news release. “By continuing to set new tourism records and bring millions more people to Chicago every year, we are generating economic opportunities that reach every Chicago neighborhood.”