CHICAGO — As the summer travel season peaks, Chicago is leaning into a bold new campaign to combat long-standing media portrayals of the city as unsafe. With over 55 million visitors in 2024 and major downtown events boosting local commerce, city leaders are hoping to reset the national conversation.
The “Never Done. Never Outdone.” campaign—launched in June with a $640,000 investment—marks a shift from defensive messaging to confident branding, positioning the city as a resilient, world-class destination despite ongoing public safety concerns.
Tourism Bounces Back: 55M Visitors and $20B in Impact
Tourism in Chicago surged in 2024, bringing in 55.3 million visitors, a 6.5% increase from the previous year. That includes over 2 million international travelers, marking the first full recovery of foreign visitation since before the pandemic.
According to Choose Chicago, these visitors generated over $20.6 billion in total economic impact and $3 billion in convention-related revenue.
Hotel occupancy downtown averaged 68.1%, showing strong return of leisure and business travel.
New Campaign Aims to Shift National Conversation
Mayor Brandon Johnson and tourism leaders say the campaign is designed to “own our story” after years of outside narratives about crime dominating headlines.
“Chicago is more than what you see on the news,” said Lynn Osmond, CEO of Choose Chicago. The campaign slogan was developed after interviews with over 300 residents and focus groups in both local and international markets.
Axios Chicago reported the ads are now rolling out in key markets across Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, and São Paulo.
Crime Stats Show Nuance, Not Uniformity
Despite concerns, violent crime in Chicago is down 17% over the past year, and some downtown neighborhoods have crime rates dramatically lower than the citywide average.
According to NeighborhoodScout, the overall crime rate is 40 per 1,000 residents, with a 1 in 167 chance of being a victim of violent crime.
But context matters. Neighborhoods like West Garfield Park and Englewood continue to see high violence, while areas such as Edison Park experience some of the city’s lowest crime rates.
The disparity fuels misconceptions. A Brookings study cited by Loop Chicago found that media coverage often overrepresents violence near tourist zones, even when downtown incidents are statistically lower.
Media Portrayal Adds to Misinformation
A 2022 report from the Center for Media Engagement found that many Chicagoans—especially Black and Latino residents—feel local news disproportionately highlights violence in their communities, while ignoring positive stories.
Experts also point to racial bias in news reporting, with white suspects often receiving more sympathetic portrayals than Black or Latino individuals, contributing to distorted public perceptions.
A City Rewriting Its Narrative
Rather than ignoring the realities of crime, city leaders say the goal is to acknowledge progress, celebrate success stories, and invite visitors to see the full picture.
With big-ticket events like Lollapalooza, NASCAR, and the 2024 Democratic Convention on the calendar, Chicago is hoping this new messaging will do more than attract tourists—it’s about restoring civic pride.
“We are a city of hustle, art, food, music, and grit,” Osmond said. “It’s time we say that out loud.”
What’s your take on Chicago’s reputation and new campaign? Have you visited recently?
Join the conversation at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com and tell us what you think.
