Chicago’s tourism and convention bureau has hit a roadblock in its efforts to promote inbound tourism after a major funding holdup.
The state of Illinois has suspended $7.2 million due to Choose Chicago from state hotel tax revenue until the 2016 state budget gets approval.
Spokeswoman Meghan Risch said cuts will be made in overseas marketing, resulting the scrapping of all foreign sales trips and an end to work with overseas tour operators for the time being.
"That’s a tough one to swallow because what our team needs to do is convince people to include Chicago in their travel packages. To not be able to do this is pretty deflating," Risch said.
Choose Chicago ended its ‘Epic’ ad promotional campaign two months early to save money and has put a proposed winter ad campaign on hold.
The cuts announced are for the current period until September 1 and if no budget is approved by then more belt tightening will be needed.
However Risch said the bureau’s 91 full-time staff would be safe until at least the end of the year.
"Laying people off would be the very last resort. We are hopeful it does not get to that point."
