Texas communities are increasingly recognizing that attracting tourists, rather than new residents, can be a more sustainable path to economic growth, according to Kathleen Davis, president and CEO of Destinations Texas. In a recent episode of Why Your Texas Town Wants Tourists, Not New Residents | Destinations Texas CEO, Davis told host Justin McKenzie that visitors contribute to local economies without straining housing, schools, or emergency services. "When the visitor comes into your community, they're not putting a burden on housing," she said. "They're not putting a burden on the schools, on the police, on the fire departments. They're coming in, they're spending money, and then they're leaving."
Destinations Texas, formerly the Texas Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, is an association for destination organization professionals. Davis explained that every destination has a destination organization or destination management organization (DMO) that promotes, brands, and develops the area to bring in visitors and conventions. Much of this work is funded by the hotel occupancy tax, which Davis noted "is paid for by the visitor. It's not paid by the resident." Consequently, she said, the marketing these organizations do "is not costing residents a dime."
The implications for Texas towns are significant. As municipalities grapple with the costs of growth, tourism offers a way to generate revenue without adding pressure on infrastructure and public services. Davis said strategies differ by destination: Boerne is largely a leisure destination for families, couples, and girls' weekends, while Dallas relies heavily on conventions and groups. Across her membership, she sees more day trips and regional trips, with travelers using clusters of nearby destinations such as the Metroplex, Austin, and San Antonio, and Fredericksburg and Boerne. She also noted early adoption of AI to target the right markets, fill slower days, and help small DMO teams, some of them one-person shops, work more efficiently, as well as growing use of data to track the visitor journey and show partners the economic impact of marketing.
Destinations Texas supports its members with an annual conference, a women's leadership conference, a winter masterclass conference, and an innovation summit, plus online training and a resource library. Davis said the organization also helps non-members: "Just because you're not a member doesn't mean we won't help you." Her advice for every Texan is simple: "Number one, be friendly when the visitors are coming in. Make them feel welcome." She encourages residents to offer to help their local DMO, post positive things about their town, and become "raving fans" of their hometowns, a phrase she borrows from the book Raving Fans, because "that third-party endorsement from them means so much more than an advertisement."
For readers, the message is clear: tourism is not just about attracting outsiders—it is about sustaining the places residents call home. As Davis's comments suggest, a welcoming community and a well-supported DMO can drive economic benefits that keep taxes down and services intact. The full conversation is available on The Building Texas Show, and more information about the association can be found at Destinations Texas.
