by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 6:45 PM ET, Mon September 25, 2017
Although it has been described as a hellish dystopian crime scene and has been compared to some of the most war-ravaged countries on the planet, Chicago continues to attract record numbers of tourists.
In fact, the city is poised to surpass all of its previous tourism records this year, according to Bloomberg.
In 2016, the city attracted a record 54 million visitors. That figure helped Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who took office in 2010 and outlined plans to increase annual arrivals to 50 million by 2020, surpass his goal.
This year, Chicago is on track to exceed 54 million.
The Bloomberg report attributes Chicago's tourism success to a variety of factors.
For starters, there's an abundance of creative energy in the city. Between the increasing number of stylish hotels and a new waterfront Riverwalk that's similar to New York City's High Line, the Windy City has inspired something of a renaissance.
For museum lovers, a handful of newcomers are adding variety to the offerings. New theaters have also opened.
However, none of this touches the city's renowned food scene. Bon Appetit named Chicago the best restaurant city of the year for 2017.
Much of this transformation, however, is focused on the city's downtown area, Bloomberg reports.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Where to Go on Chicago's Restaurant Row[/READMORE]
On the city's south and west sides, crime remains a significant issue. Chicago has already recorded 500 homicides this year, according to the Chicago Tribune. The city's neighborhoods also remain highly segregated.
Still, by some accounts, the booming tourism industry is bringing positive change throughout Chicago.
More than 4,500 tourism jobs were added in 2016, according to data provided to Bloomberg by Choose Chicago. During the same time frame, $900 million in tourism-related tax revenue was injected into the local economy.
"I've been in this business for 25 years, [promoting tourism] in several major cities-and I've never seen a mayor who's a bigger champion of tourism," David Whitaker, chief executive officer, and president of Choose Chicago, the city's tourism marketing arm, told Bloomberg. "It's so central for him. He really gets that a great place to visit is equally a great place to live, work, and play."
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