chamber of commerce

A chamber of commerce is a consortium of businesses within a particular geographic area (usually a city or a national subdivision) or market segment, whose goal is to promote their members' business collectively through lobbying, marketing, public relations, and forging business contacts.

The member businesses act collectively to promote their interests and contacts. The shared scope can be a geographic area or a particular market segment.

The chamber's promotional role does not make it the operator of each member's business. Members retain their own activities and property relationships.