The Summit Unites 1,150+ Industry Leaders at Annual Tradeshow

CHICAGO – April 15, Ateema Media & Marketing hosted the 24th annual Hospitality & Tourism Summit, presenting partner Enjoy Illinois, also known as The Summit. This year, The Summit presented its first award program, The Summit Awards, and offered additional educational opportunities for attendees through the Bites, Brainstorming and Business Building roundtable luncheon series, sponsored by AV Chicago.

After receiving more than 40,000 votes, winners of The Summit Awards, sponsored by Live Art International, were selected from nominations submitted by Chicago’s thriving tourism industry professionals. The full list of winners include:

• The Summit Attraction Award: Skydeck

• The Summit Concierge Award, Sponsored by Big Bus Tours: Flor Sigaran, Concierge, CBRE & and Chicago Chapter President, National Concierge Association

• The Summit Destination Marketing Organizations & Associations Award, Sponsored by 1905 New Media: Choose Chicago

• The Summit Event Services Award: Black Circle Chicago

• The Summit Hotel Award, Sponsored by Flood Brothers Disposal: JW Marriott Chicago

• The Summit Industry Distributors & Services Award: WasteNot Compost

• The Summit Nightlife Award, Sponsored by Chicago Beverage Systems: Kingston Mines

• The Summit Planner Award, Sponsored by Aries Charter Transportation: Valerie Luporini, The Inland Real Estate Group, LLC

• The Summit Restaurant Award, Sponsored by Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

• The Summit Shopping Award: Garrett Popcorn Shops

• The Summit Social Media Influencers & Creators Award, Sponsored by Musuem of Illusions: Erin Byrne, @312Food

• The Summit Venue Award, Sponsored by AV Chicago: The Old Post Office

“With the launch of The Summit Awards, we finally have a way to shine a light on the incredible people who make our industry what it is. These leaders work hard, often behind the scenes, to make Chicago a world-class destination for tourism, hospitality, and events —and they absolutely deserve the spotlight,” said Tim O’Malley, CEO of Ateema Media & Marketing. “This was our first year doing the awards, and the response blew us away. Some of the biggest names in the city were nominated, and getting to recognize them at The Summit just reinforced why this event is such a key gathering for anyone serious about our industry.”

With over 100 exhibitors, The Summit showcased cultural institutions, local attractions, industry experts, world-class dining experiences and Chicago’s myriad of venues it has to offer. In addition to the Chicago-area experiences, regional and national brands were among the exhibitors present at The Summit to spotlight Chicago’s impact on the greater tourism industry.

Other standouts of The Summit included the Education & Eggs, sponsored by Yolk, panel sessions, which featured specialized conversations on how to attract a modern demographic of meeting and event professionals. The Bites, Brainstorms and Business Building luncheon series offered direct access to industry thought-leaders and networking opportunities with like-minded professionals. As in previous years, keynote panels covered the State of Hospitality, Tourism and Events Industires, featuring executives from Choose Chicago, the Magnificent Mile Association, Navy Pier and the City of Chicago’s Department of Aviation. Throughout the sessions, key takeaways shared in the educational session included advice on working with influencers, enhancing event accessibility, capturing business from international travelers and insight into industry success.

To learn more about The Summit, visit thesummitchicago.com. Follow @thesummit on Instagram and The Summit Chicago on LinkedIn and Facebook for updates.