On November 13, Governor Greg Abbott recognized Pearland as the seventh Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community by Travel Texas in the program’s first year.
What you need to know
To be eligible for this honor, cities must send a letter of intent, complete a survey asking questions about tourism funding, revenue and programs, and participate in online training, according to the Travel Texas website. .
“Tourism is critical to both the local and state economies, supporting one in 11 jobs across Texas,” Abbott said in a Nov. 13 news release. “Travelers to and within Texas generated more than $193.8 billion in economic impact and supported 1.3 million jobs across the state in 2023.”
Remember this?
Community Impact previously reported that Visit Pearland, a government agency funded by the hotel occupancy tax that promotes tourism in the city, is investing heavily in boosting sports tourism.
Part of that effort includes securing a partnership with Triple Crown Sports, which previously hosted the Donald McDonald City of Lights Tournament, which was held at Sugar Land for 30 years.
Tracy Rohrbacher, executive director of Visit Pearland, said she felt the state approval was a result of the city’s efforts to create “tourism promotion initiatives.”
“The positive impact of visits to Pearland continues to be a driver of economic growth,” Rohrbacher said. “We’re excited about what the future holds as we continue to champion Pearland’s unique experience.”
One more thing
For more information about the Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community program, visit gov.texas.gov/tourism-friends-texas.
