In a recent episode of The Building Texas Show, host Justin McKenzie spoke with Kathleen Davis, CDME, president and CEO of Destinations Texas, about the role of tourism in Texas communities. Davis explained that every destination has a destination organization or destination management organization (DO or DMO) that promotes, brands, and develops the area to attract visitors and conventions. A key point she stressed is that visitors do not burden local housing, schools, police, or fire departments. Instead, they spend money and then leave, providing an economic boost without the costs associated with new residents.
Much of this work is funded by the hotel occupancy tax, which Davis noted is paid by visitors, not residents. As a result, the marketing efforts of destination organizations cost residents nothing. Davis highlighted that strategies vary by destination: Boerne focuses on leisure travelers such as families and couples, while Dallas relies heavily on conventions and groups.
Davis also shared trends she sees across her membership, including more day trips and regional trips where travelers visit clusters of nearby destinations like the Metroplex, Austin, San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Boerne. She noted early adoption of AI to target markets and fill slower days, especially helpful for small DMO teams, some of which are one-person operations. Additionally, growing use of data helps track the visitor journey and demonstrate the economic impact of marketing to partners.
Destinations Texas supports its members through an annual conference, a women's leadership conference, a winter masterclass conference, an innovation summit, online training, and a resource library. Davis emphasized that the organization also assists non-members: "Just because you're not a member doesn't mean we won't help you."
For everyday Texans, Davis offered simple advice: be friendly and welcoming to visitors. She encouraged residents to help their local DMO, post positive things about their town, and become "raving fans" of their hometowns, citing the book Raving Fans. Such third-party endorsements, she said, mean far more than advertisements.
The full conversation is available on Why Your Texas Town Wants Tourists, Not New Residents | Destinations Texas CEO.
