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CHICAGO CONVENTION & TOURISM BUREAU UNVEILS TOOLKIT TO ENCOURAGE FIRST QUARTER MEETINGS and CONVENTIONS FOR 2009 THROUGH 2011
American Airlines Offers Significant Discounts off Fares to Chicago
CHICAGO—July 8, 2008— The Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau (CCTB) continues to deliver industry-leading services for customers seeking to book their meetings and conventions in Chicago. Its latest offering, the Chicago Select program, makes booking the destination easier, faster and more affordable than ever before courtesy of American Airlines (NYSE: AMR) and CCTB members.
Chicago Select is a comprehensive toolkit jam-packed with value pricing on air and ground transportation, hotel accommodations, retail and cultural experiences available only during the first quarters of 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Examples include, but are not limited to: up to 30% off ground transportation to/from O’Hare and Midway; $10 group rate admissions at Shedd Aquarium; 50% off Field Museum Highlights Tours with private docent; 30% discount on corporate event rental space at Museum of Contemporary Art and free admission in February 2009 to the Art Institute of Chicago.
“Chicago Select makes planning an event turnkey for meeting planners across the globe,” said Tim Roby, CCTB President and CEO. “American Airlines and our members really stepped up to the plate with value pricing that allows customers to create a customized travel package, complete with services and amenities that they would not otherwise receive.”
American Airlines, a CCTB strategic marketing partner, is offering exclusive deals, including up to 75 percent off its fares for groups of 10 or more traveling to Chicago; a $50 discount off a new annual Admirals Club membership, and 750 bonus points upon enrollment in the Business ExtrAA program.
Details for all offers are available online at www.choosechicago.com.
"Chicago is one of the greatest cities not just in America, but in the world, and we have a long tradition of providing domestic and international service to and from Chicago that millions of customers have come to rely upon," said Thomas Aichele, American Airlines Vice President Central Division Passenger Sales. "But as great a city as Chicago is, it is well known how intense competition is for travel and tourism. That is why we believe our strategic partnership with the city of Chicago will strengthen its popular position as a global visitor destination, and by extension that will help improve business for American Airlines. All in all, it's a win-win partnership."
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About the CCTB
The Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau is the premier sales and marketing organization that promotes Chicago’s world-class assets to global leisure travelers and convention business to ensure the economic vitality of the City and its member business community.