Ateema Media & Marketing announced the return of Chicago’s largest and most important hospitality and tourism event: The Summit on Tuesday, April 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Chicago’s vibrant West Loop neighborhood. This annual gathering for hospitality, tourism and events professionals, as well as members of the public, will again be hosted across multiple iconic West Loop venues including RECESS, City Hall and Morgan Manufacturing. The Summit is expected to be attended by more than 1,200 industry professionals from across the Midwest.
The day kicks off with breakfast and networking at 9:30 a.m., sponsored by Yolk, offering attendees an opportunity to connect before the program begins. Educational sessions (add link) start at 10:20 a.m. at RECESS (838 W. Kinzie St.) and City Hall (121 N. LaSalle St.) expert panelists and speakers delivering insights on the upcoming season’s emerging trends and best practices, with a particular focus on AI, optimizing event energy through nutrition, international travel, media coverage strategies, multicultural event resources and more. The keynote panel starts at 11:50 a.m. at City Hall, with Bites, Brainstorms and Business Building Roundtable Luncheon featuring intimate conversations with other industry leaders scheduled for 12:30-2:20 p.m. at Recess.
The annual tradeshow will take place at Morgan Manufacturing (401 N. Morgan) from 2-6 p.m., featuring more than 110 exhibitors including attractions, venues, vendors, hotels and more. During the tradeshow, The Summit Awards will return in 2026 to celebrate excellence across Chicago’s hospitality, tourism and events industries. Industry professionals and the public are invited to nominate their favorite hotels, restaurants, attractions, concierges and more across 12 categories. Nominations are now open at thesummitchicago.com/the-summit-awards.
“As The Summit marks its 25th anniversary, the focus is firmly on the realities shaping travel and tourism today, particularly because things seem to be changing on a daily basis,” said Tim O’Malley, CEO of Ateema Media & Marketing. “This year’s Summit was designed to foster open dialogue, shared learning, and collaboration so tourism and events leaders across the Midwest can better understand what’s changing, adapt their approaches and move forward with confidence. As always, participants and attendees that The Summit is a stellar opportunity for networking, to market their business and develop new business opportunities.”
The Summit attracts meeting and event planners, concierges, hotel sales leaders, destination management companies, news media, social media influencers, business representatives and industry experts. Attendees network while meeting representatives from some of Chicago’s premier attractions, venues, cultural institutions, hotels, dining destinations, event services, and neighborhood organizations.
The Summit is replete with opportunities beyond networking. Attendees can expect to enjoy a wide array of top-tier food and beverage samplings, interactive experiences with new and established venues and attractions and insights from industry leaders. The programming will also include how businesses can successfully partner with hotels to dive business; how major initiatives, including the Route 66 centenial celebration or World Cup will impact tourism in Chicago and more.
There are varying ticket levels, based on individuals’ field in the industry, including the opportunity for the general public to attend. To learn more about The Summit or purchase tickets, visit thesummitchicago.com.
About the Summit
The Summit Chicago is the premier annual event for professionals in the hospitality, tourism, and events industries. With a high-energy trade show, targeted educational sessions, interactive roundtable networking, and The Summit Awards, it brings together more than 1,200 industry leaders—including event planners, social media influencers, concierges, media, hotel teams, and leading industry-focused businesses. Attendees come to connect, learn, sell, and grow—and leave with new leads, stronger partnerships, actionable insights, and real momentum.
About Ateema Media & Marketing
Founded in 2001, Ateema Media & Marketing partners with hospitality businesses that want to grow. The company specializes in reaching the audiences that matter most — visitors, groups, locals, concierges, and planners — helping businesses get found, chosen, and visited.
Working across Chicago’s hospitality ecosystem, Ateema supports restaurants, attractions, event venues, event service providers, retailers, and hotels with integrated marketing programs designed to drive real results.
Ateema’s approach combines targeted digital campaigns that attract demand, high-impact networking events that connect businesses with the people who influence decisions, and hotel visitor tools that help travelers discover and choose where to eat, shop, and explore at the moment it matters most. Products include The Summit, ChicagoDoes Interactive Video Maps, Chicago Hotel Meetup, ChicagoDoes social channels, and Ateema Digital.