The subsequent new hashish tourism vacation spot | Sponsored | Chi Excessive Excursions (paid sponsored content material)

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In a newly developing legal market, cannabis has found its way into the public more than just pharmacies. As the cannabis industry begins to flourish in Chicago and Illinois as a whole, opportunities have opened up for cannabis-related industries to gain a foothold in the Illinois business world after legalization.

A company, Chi High Toursis the first of its kind for the city. Rather than pushing for a license to operate a pharmacy, Chi High Tours is Chicago’s first official cannabis tour. The company offers a handful of tours that highlight Chicago’s culture, history, local businesses, and of course, cannabis.

While the company is on the cusp of that great economic renaissance that always comes with the green rush to newly legalized markets, Chi High Tours firmly believes that the Windy City will be one of the newest cities to make their way to the top of the list Booming cannabis tourism industry will climb the world. In fact, founder and CEO James Gordon believes Chicago will be the next top tourist destination.

In 2019, a full year before cannabis was legalized in Illinois, Chicago saw record-breaking tourism numbers, drawing a whopping 117 million visitors to the city. With that in mind, it’s clear that people are already visiting Chicago in record numbers, far surpassing places like Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where cannabis tourism is booming. Even so, so many people are already visiting Chicago without legal cannabis – a good sign of additional tourist flows in Illinois.

“Adding legal cannabis to the mix provides an opportunity to attract more tourists who visit legal states for the sole purpose of recreational cannabis use and tourism,” said Gordon. In a study by the Colorado Department of Tourism, tourists looking for cannabis tended to stay longer and spend more money in local bars, restaurants, and malls than people who visited for other reasons. Additionally, a whopping 6.2 percent of Colorado’s 90 million annual visitors said they visit solely for marijuana reasons.

“With data like this, it is easier to use our already astronomical tourist presence and expand the mix or simply offer more to current tourists. It’s an additional source of income, and in a place like Chicago, where Millennium Park, Willis Tower, Navy Pier, etc are already attracting so many people, you can throw cannabis into the mix and see more small businesses take off and bigger audiences tourists who will fuel our economy here in Chicago, ”said Gordon. “This is where the tours come in. The tours highlight the cannabis industry and encourage tourists to support it while also showing them things they would see even if cannabis weren’t part of the mix.”

Another interesting aspect of the Illinois cannabis market is the laws surrounding it. In places like California and Colorado, it is illegal to use cannabis anywhere except your private residence and only if you have your landlord’s permission. Illinois is expected to approve public consumption in approved locations in 2021.

“It’s one of the coolest things in our city. Our laws allow us to offer so many more unique tourism outlets than other states are allowed and to attract more people to the area. We could start offering smoking places and 420-friendly museums, as well as bed and breakfasts, all of which could be supported by cannabis tours like Chi High and introduced to tourists, ”said Gordon. “This puts Chicago at the top of the list of destinations for people interested in cannabis tourism as we have the widest range of services and cannabis-related businesses that other states simply cannot have.”

With millions of tourists visiting the Windy City annually and the growing interest in buying and using cannabis, there is the potential for a lot of revenue to hit the state. When trends in states like Colorado, Nevada, and California are indications, the tourism revenue opportunities are incredibly high. As new businesses related to cannabis emerge, more jobs and small business opportunities are created, which in turn boosts the local and state economies.

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A sales tax of 10 percent is charged for the purchase of cannabis products with less than 35 percent THC, and 20 percent for food. Products with a THC concentration of more than 35 percent are subject to a 25 percent state tax. These taxes promote social justice programs in Chicago and can be used to improve communities, including roads, schools, and social services.

“I think we would like to see more and more companies get involved in tourism. For example, glass stores can be highlighted in tours like ours, and in this case, each hand washes the other. There are so many creative ways to incorporate cannabis into our culture, and that comes with more businesses, more jobs, more tourism and ultimately more money to pay for social services and the tax community, ”said Gordon. “Cannabis tours create such a unique awareness in emerging markets that they can support other small businesses, including bars and restaurants and other attractions, while putting cannabis tourism on the map in Chicago.”

Chi High Tours is expected to reopen on March 11, 2021 – exactly one year after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in the United States. With a vaccine available and COVID restrictions still in place, there has never been a better time to experience Chicago’s unique cannabis industry alongside all of the city’s other unique attractions. If the trends surrounding cannabis tourism in Illinois continue to pick up, there’s a good chance Chicago will become one of the top travel destinations in the country. For more information, see chihightours.com.