Press Release

Go Chicago™ Card Blows into the Windy City Unlimited Admission to More than 25 Chicagoland Attractions, Suiting a Variety of Interests/Ages

May 19, 2005 (Chicago, IL) – Just as millions of tourists descend on Chicago for the busy summer travel season, visitors have a new all-inclusive option for catching the city’s premier attractions, from The Adler Planetarium to the Sears Tower Sky Deck.

The Go Chicago Card goes on sale in Chicago on May 20, following the resounding success of similar cards in Boston and San Francisco. The card is the brainchild of Smart Destinations, the premier provider of all-inclusive attraction passes in top U.S. travel destinations. For an introductory price of $39 per adult per day, card holders have access to more than 25 destinations with express entry to many of them. The card also includes savings of up to 20% on shopping and dining.

“The Go Chicago Card gives travelers the opportunity to move about the city freely and enjoy all of the things they want without having to reach for their wallet at each attraction. It's like a theme park pass to the city,” said Cecilia Dahl, president of Smart Destinations.

Dahl said the Go Chicago Card was designed to appeal to a variety of interests and ages. “Whether you want to see a top-tier museum, take a sightseeing tour, see one of the country's top aquariums or simply enjoy Chicago's great shops and restaurants, the Go Chicago Card has something for you.”

Go Chicago Card visitors have unlimited admission to the city’s most well-known attractions, as well as “hidden gems,” including: Adler Planetarium, The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, The Notebaert Nature Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Hancock Observatory, Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation society’s Frederick C. Robie House, Chicago Children’s Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago Historical Society tours and Museum admission, Museum of Science and Industry, the Sears Tower Sky Deck and more.

Travelers who like to remain on the go will appreciate the Go Chicago Card’s free two-day “hop-on, hop-off” trolley pass, Chicago Architectural Foundation walking tours, as well as the Gray Line’s Grand Chicago, North Side and South Shore tours, plus the Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline and Architectural River cruises.

And for visitors who want to take advantage of the myriad attractions to be found in Chicago’s Navy Pier, the Go Chicago Card offers free admission to a number of Navy Pier attractions, including the Navy Pier Imax, Ferris Wheel, Adventure Golf, Rock Climbing Wall, Wave Swinger Ride and Carousel.

In addition to fully pre-paid admissions, Go Chicago Card holders enjoy VIP treatment at shopping and dining venues such as a free VIP Shoppers Passport at Marshall Fields®, 20% savings at Ghirardelli, a FREE 8x10 2nd print photo with the purchase of the Photographers special at American Girl Place, buy one get one FREE lunch at the House of Blues Back Porch restaurant, and 2-for-1 admission at Kingston Mines, Chicago’s oldest and largest real blues club. Also included are savings at many of the museum shops, guided Segway tours at Segway Experience, Spirit Cruises lunch and dinner cruises, and much more. Visitors simply take the Card and free accompanying full-color Guidebook and hit the town.

Visitors can purchase the Go Chicago Card online at www.GoChicagoCard.com or through any of Smart Destinations global distribution partners. The card is an included component in a number of hotel packages and weekend getaways, and will be marketed as a valuable add-on for meeting and convention delegates. Smart Destinations is also marketing the Chicago product internationally with a full-time sales office in London and representatives selling the product in Ireland, France, Germany, the Benelux countries, Japan and Korea.

Chicago is the sixth U.S. city to feature the Go Card. The Go Boston ™ Card debuted in 2003, and the Go San Francisco ™ Card launched in 2004. The rapid success of those products attracted the attention of Zon Capital Partners and North Hill Ventures, the venture arm of Capital One, with investments supporting expansion into San Diego, as well as Orlando and Seattle. Attraction partners appreciate the Card’s track record, and the ease in Smart Destinations’ advanced paperless technology, with ongoing, detailed reports about usage and automatic, on-time payment, and its global distribution networks in more than 25 countries.


Smart Destinations at a glance:

• Launched Go Boston in 2003, Go San Francisco in 2004, six cities rolling out in 2005.

• Recent recipient of more than $4.25 M investment from North Hill Ventures, the venture investment arm of Capital One and Zon Capital Partners, a private venture capital firm.

• Cecilia Dahl, President and founder, is an industry veteran of the wholesale travel business, formerly with Collette Vacations. Kevin McLaughlin, CEO and founder, is a veteran entrepreneur with experience in marketing and product management for high tech products.

• Cecilia Dahl, President and founder, is an industry veteran of the wholesale travel business, formerly with Collette Vacations. Kevin McLaughlin, CEO and founder, is a veteran entrepreneur with experience in marketing and product management for high tech products.

Go Cards at a glance:

• The product is a single, easy-to-carry smart card used as a ticket for unlimited attraction admissions that eliminates paperwork and coupons.

• Accompanying guidebook lists the included FREE attractions, shops and restaurants that offer exclusive value savings, as well as fun tips and detailed maps.

• Unlimited free admission to 20-60 attractions in leading cities from as little as $19.00 per day.

• Exclusive discounts on services and at restaurants and shopping destinations.

• 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7-day Cards available.

• Central voucher redemption locations for those traveling on packages, and key tourist destination points of sale.

About Smart Destinations
Smart Destinations is the premier provider of unlimited admission attraction passes in major U.S. travel destinations. Smart Destinations’ Go Cards offer simplified access to dozens of attractions to individuals, couples and families, for one fixed “per day” price. The Go Guidebook is ready-to-travel and includes fun facts about a destination, access details, and important local numbers. Distributed through major travel services in 25 countries as well as on the Web, Smart Destinations’ Go Cards are the industry’s “trusted companion” for the best a city has to offer at an unbeatable price point. For more information on program participation, the company and its cards, visit www.GoCardUSA.com or call 617-671-1001.

Home  |  Products |  Solutions  |  About Us  |  Contact Us  | Sitemap

©2008 Smart Destinations, Inc.
800-887-9103, email Smart Destinations
85 Merrimac Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114
View all of our Go Visitor Card Products