Woodlands CVB Recognize National Travel & Tourism Week

THE WOODLANDS, Texas --The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau recently recognized National Travel and Tourism Week, May 9-17, with a gathering of local hoteliers to unify with a core message: travel matters to The Woodlands.

“Travel and tourism play a key role in The Woodlands economy,” says Nick Wolda, president of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our town relies on travel for tax revenue and jobs and the benefits these bring to our economy. We hope to raise awareness and showcase why travel matters to The Woodlands and the importance of bringing visitors to spend money in The Woodlands.”

With business, meetings and event travel facing steep declines across America, nationwide events throughout National Travel and Tourism Week emphasized the economic benefits travel and tourism brings to local workers and communities. The gathering of hoteliers by The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau is part of a larger effort led by the U.S. Travel Association with rallies in dozens of cities nationwide.

“Meetings continue to be a valuable tool for U.S. businesses,” says Tory Enriquez, director of sales and marketing at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center. “They create a sense of collaboration, lead to new ideas and contribute to employee retention.”

In a recent survey, Fortune 1000 Chief Marketing Officers said that meetings and events provide the highest return on investment of any marketing channel. A new study also shows that 87 percent of Americans who have attended an out-of-town meeting or convention for work say it is important to running a strong business.

Besides touting the attributes of The Woodlands for overnight guests, The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau also is working to promote the area as a premier shopping and entertainment destination. “Nearly 80 percent of shoppers to The Woodlands come from outside the community,” adds Wolda, referring to a study conducted by The Woodlands Township in October 2007. Additionally, The Perryman Group completed a study on the over impact tourism plays in The Woodlands and reported the industry to be a $1.7 billion dollar per year business.

“We continue to see a large number of our shoppers coming from outside The Woodlands, either for the weekend or for a shopping getaway,” says Jill Liccioni, general manager of Market Street – The Woodlands. “The influx of these shoppers is important to our success.”

Travel and tourism is one of America’s largest industries, according to the U.S. Travel Association based on travel expenditures by domestic and international travelers. The industry also represents one of America’s largest employers with 7.7 million direct travel-generated jobs and $189 billion in travel-generated payroll. However, according to U.S. Labor Department data, the U.S. Travel Association reported a loss of nearly 200,000 travel related jobs in 2008 and predicts a loss of an additional 247,000 travel-generated jobs in 2009.

“Locally, sales tax and hotel occupancy tax pay for some of our most essential infrastructure and public services such as security patrols and a number of public improvements,” says Wolda. “The travel industry is facing tough times, but it’s important for people to understand the key role travel can play in helping to solve our economic challenges on both the local and national level.”