People involved in the tourism sector of Chicago viewed the city from a familiar location while taking pictures and drinking champagne. To highlight Chicago's emerging cruise sector, they were standing on the deck of a cruise ship that was parked at Navy Pier on Tuesday.

"It attracts visitors to Chicago who otherwise wouldn't consider it. And I believe that a lot of people disregard our city as a destination and take it for granted, "said Robyn Gevas of Protravel Chicago, a luxury travel agency.

As it embarks on a tour of the Great Lakes with two ships, American Queen Voyages is the only cruise line to dock downtown. Travel agents and influencers were invited on board the Ocean Voyager for an event on Tuesday to give them a chance to experience and then promote Chicago as a cruise city across the world.

"The Great Lakes are a great resource that we sincerely wish to market globally. When you consider this magnificent body of water, you realize that humans shouldn't be using the Rhine for transportation. They ought to travel to Chicago, "President and CEO of Choose Chicago, Lynn Osmond, remarked.

The ship, which travels from Chicago to Toronto for 11 days and makes stops at destinations like Mackinac Island, Detroit, and Niagara Falls while touring all the Great Lakes, can accommodate roughly 200 guests. Every cruise spends a night in Chicago and offers tours of the city, bringing in more revenue for the city's tourism industry.

"I was reared near the Great Lakes and was born there. Before the construction of the motorway network, cruise ships used to travel the Great Lakes. The return of cruising is therefore wonderful because it allows people to learn more about what is actually in their backyard "said Bill Annand, American Queen Voyages' vice president of marine operations.

The Great Lakes and beautiful vistas of Chicago are showcased during the summer sailings, which end this month but resume in the spring.