Chicago has once again been crowned the Best Big City in the U.S. in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, one of the most prestigious recognitions a destination can receive. This is the ninth consecutive year Chicago has claimed this title, a streak unprecedented in the awards program’s more than 30-year history. Over 750,000 votes were cast for this year’s Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

In addition to earning Best Big City in the U.S. for the ninth straight time, this year’s edition of the influential awards also recognized Chicago’s reputation for welcoming visitors of all origins and backgrounds. In the United Kingdom’s edition of the 2025 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, Chicago was named one the friendliest cities in the world, the only U.S. city to earn this recognition.

The announcement of this award comes as Chicago continues to experience significant momentum in the tourism industry. Last week, Choose Chicago announced that local hotels had the strongest summer on record in terms of both room demand and revenues, bucking national trends in a challenging year for the tourism industry. Over 3.56 million hotel rooms were occupied during the months of June, July, and August 2025, marking a 4.3% increase over 2024 demand levels and surpassing the previous record year of 2019. Hotel revenues over the same months surpassed $948 million, surpassing the previous record set in 2024.

In 2024, Chicago welcomed an estimated 55.3 million visitors, generating $20.6 billion in economic impact and supporting more than 130,000 jobs. Events are a key component of the city’s broader visitor economy, generating over $3 billion in economic activity last year and introducing hundreds of thousands of new visitors to all the destination has to offer.

Chicago’s meetings and conventions infrastructure remain a key pillar of its appeal. From McCormick Place to Navy Pier to theaters, banquet halls, sports arenas, and easily accessible airports, the city’s capacity to host world-class events of all sizes and profiles continues to lure both leisure travelers and business groups.

Chicago’s cultural assets are equally central to its success as a global destination. Landmarks, museums, music venues big and small, live theatre, year-round outdoor festivals, arts in every neighborhood, and a world-renowned culinary scene are all magnets for regional and international visitors alike.

This announcement comes just weeks after Choose Chicago launched the “All for the Love of Chicago” campaign, encouraging residents and visitors to share their authentic experiences and stories to illustrate what the city means to them.