MONTREAL — It may seem like everyone is on vacation right now, but that’s no reason for a destination to stop its promotional efforts – especially when trying to attract tourists fall, winter and spring.

That’s certainly the case for Travel Texas, currently on tour in eastern Canada. Last night’s Montreal event will be followed by a Toronto event tomorrow night.

Along with Rosalyn Hunter and Renée Wilson, both from VoX International – which represents Texas in Canada – five Texas representatives took part in quick but effective meetings with the media.

The Texas delegation included …

• • Dee Dee Poteete, regional communications director – Visit San Antonio
  • Zane Harrington, Director of Communications – Visit Dallas
  • McKenna Dowdle, Media Relations Manager – Visit Lubbock
  • Aileen Ramos, Director – Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Debra Bustos, International Marketing Specialist – Travel Texas

  

  Aileen Ramos

  

  Dee-Dee-Poteete

  

  Zane Harrington

  
  

LOTS OF LIFT

With flights to Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and now Austin, all departing from Toronto and Montreal, the Lone Star State is anything but.

Even before the addition of flights to Austin last May, some 582,000 Canadians had already visited Texas in 2023, spending no less than US$403.3 million.

Of this number, 90% remained in paid accommodation (i.e. not with friends or family), for average stays of 6.2 nights, with Texas as final destination in 71% of cases.

And even if Houston and Dallas receive many business travellers, 67% of Canadians come to Texas for the simple pleasure of being there, arriving by plane, by RV – very popular here – or by cruise, also a booming sector on the Gulf Coast.

VARIETY ON THE PROGRAM

Plenty F1 fans head to Texas, specifically Austin, for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas. This year’s race takes place Oct. 20.

Meanwhile Arlington, a suburb of Dallas, will host nine matches during the FIFA 2026 World Cup at AT&T Stadium. Many know the venue as the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

Also in 2026 Universal Studios will inaugurate its first-ever Universal Kids Resort, in Frisco, TX. The attraction will be the group’s first amusement park specially designed for young children (10 years and under) and their families, and will include a 300-room hotel.

Known for its popular dude ranches, Texas is all about the great outdoors, from its vast deserts to deep canyons, and from its beaches (especially in Corpus Christi and its surroundings) to its wildlife reserves (where ornithologists will be dazzled).

Of course the second largest state in the U.S. (after Alaska) is also dotted with cities ranging from lively and quirky Austin, to the inspiring architecture and coastal charm of Galveston (which thankfully was relatively spared by Beryl), to the always popular San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO & THE ALAMO

More than three centuries old, the half-Mexican, half-American cultural capital of San Antonio is also recognized by UNESCO as a creative city of gastronomy. Its new culinary epicentre, the Pearl District, is in full swing.

With its five former missions, San Antonio is also the only city in Texas to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The most famous of these, The Alamo, will soon inherit a vast US$350 million museum which will present countless objects and artifacts belonging to British singer and musician Phil Collins, who gave the city his abundant collection.

Finally, San Antonio is also home to the astonishing Morgan’s Wonderland, first and only amusement park in the world dedicated to people with accessibility needs.

visitsanantonio.com

DALLAS 

Dallas is increasingly popular for sports tourism – the city has no less than nine (!) professional team sports ­– and many fans visit especially for that.

Dallas also wants be recognized “for its world-class museums, the Dallas Art District and for its offer in terms of affordable luxury tourism”, says Zane Harrington, Director of Communications for Visit Dallas.

The city may still be most famous to many for TV’s Ewing family and the enormously popular Dallas show, but it should also be appreciated for its gastronomy, says Harrington. In fact, Michelin guide inspectors are currently in the process of scouring the city’s restaurants in anticipation of next fall’s guide.

Michelin gourmets also sift through the best tables from Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth.

“That said, this shouldn’t stop tourists from frequenting a good old steakhouse or a Tex-Mex restaurant, or treat yourself to a BBQ,” says Harrington.

Dallas is also famous for its margaritas (the frozen margarita machine was even invented here) and every year, the city organizes a tasting rally of the famous cocktail at 30 restaurants.

On the hotel front, a new InterContinental hotel will open in town in 2025, while a Four Seasons will open in 2027 in Turtle Creek, just outside Dallas.

visitdallas.com

LUBBOCK

While Fredericksburg in the central Hill Country has countless vineyards, the small town of Lubbock, in the heart of the Panhandle Plains (in the north ofTexas), has also carved out a solid reputation for viticulture.

“Texas is the fifth largest wine producing state in the U.S., and 85% of the wine grapes grow west of Lubbock, thanks to a combination of very particular climatic elements: hot and dry during the day, cool nights and a little wind,” explains McKenna Dowdle, Media Relations Manager – Visit Lubbock.

Today, ‘The Hub City’ has some 15 vineyards and also microbreweries, as well as a lively music scene and numerous works of public art to glean during a visit.

visitlubbock.org

LAREDO

This surprising city in southwest Texas is strongly imbued with Mexican culture: 96% of its community comes from the other side of the Rio Grande, the river that serves as a border with Mexico.

This geography influences everything from culture to dining to even bird watching. “Laredo and its region form a crossroads very frequented by migratory birds but also by butterflies, including blue monarchs. It is a paradise for birding,” says Aileen Ramos, Director – Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Visitors also come to Laredo for its history, and that history is surprising to say the least: in 1840, for 242 days, this small town formed the capital of the very short-lived Republic of Rio Grande, in the wake of the creation of the Republic of Texas, before the annexation of the future state by the U.S.

It just goes to show that Texas never ceases to surprise, beyond its cowboys and its ranches.

 visitlaredo.com

More information about travel to Texas is at https://www.traveltexas.com/. This story is also posted at ProfessionVoyages.com.