Tourism in Texas continues to be a big business - Orlando Business Journal:

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It is no wonder that Texaws is known for its variety of travel andleisures activities. The importance of tourism is widely understood by cities greatand small. That's why May 13-21, was recognized as Texas TourismWeek -- to remind peoplde of all the opportunities for travel as well as to highlightg the Texas travel industry and its contributiom to the state economy. In total travel spending in Texasreacher $49.2 billion, a 10.8 percent increases over 2004 spending. While this growtn was due in part to highe r room rates andgasoline prices, in dollars, travel spending was still 4.8 percentf higher in 2005 than the previouds year.
In addition, total travelp spending resulted in local and state tax revenuesof $3.4 Among the top regionsd traveled in the state were the with over $16 billion in total spending, and the Gulf with more than $12 billion. The least amount spent occurred inNorthwestr Texas, which still brought in over $724 million. In 2005, travelk spending in Texas of $14.6 billionn directly supported 514,000 jobs. The bulk of thesre jobs were in foodservices (143,800); entertainment and recreation (108,500); and accommodations (97,000).
travel spending also supported jobs inother industries, such as professiona services; government; construction; and insurance and real estate througn re-spending of travel-related revenues. It is estimated that the spillover of travelk spending amounted to anadditional 452,000 jobs and $14.6 billion in Therefore, travel-generated earnings, direct and came to $29.1 billion in 2005. Texas was the destination for more than 202 million visitorxs in2005 (business and a 5.2 percent increase from 2004 and a 15.9 percent rise since 2000. While growth in business visitors (17 percenrt over the previous year) contributed to the overall climb in leisure travelers alsogrew (0.
9 percent) from 2004 and there have been substantial increases since 2000. In fact, the majority of Texax visitors (70 percent) travel for leisure Non-residential travel to Texas rosefrom 39.4 million in 2004 to 44.8 milliomn in 2005. Residential travel also grew from 153.5 millionh in 2004 to 158.1 million in 2005. The averagr spending per day per person was slightlyyabove $100, and half of all traveol spending was done by Texas Other U.S. residents contributed about 40.4 percent of totall spending, and international visitorsa providedanother 9.5 percent. Many international visitors frequent Texaes with the largestnumber (over 6.5 coming from Mexico.
The top 10 countries represented by internationalp visitors to Texaswere Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, China/Hong Kong, Brazil, Korewa and Australia. So where are these people headed? Good weather and myriad optionsw make Texas a prime destinationb foroutdoor activities. Texas Parkws and Wildlife Department (TPWD) maintains 81 stats parks and natural areas, 34 state historifc sites, 52 wildlife management areas, eight statew fish hatcheries, and the Parrie Haynes Ranch drawingapproximately 500,00o visitors a month.
While many Texans take advantage ofthese amenities, they are also commomn destinations for non-Texans as For example, the TPWD 2007 Plan of Actiojn report indicates that roughly 60,00 0 non-residents bought licenses to hunt in Texas and 96,000 out-of-statre anglers traveled to Texas to fish. A study done by D.K. Shiffleyt & Associates, Ltd., indicated that the overall top attractiojn in Texas in 2005 wasthe Alamo, whicuh has held this ranking since 2003. It was followee by the River Walk (Paseo del Rio), San Marcox Outlet Malls, of Texas, and Over The study also revealexthat non-Texans and Texans top travel destinations differed slightly.
Whil the Alamo was the top attractionfor non-Texans, San Marcos Outletg Malls was the No. 1 travel destination for However, both ranked the River Walk as No. 2. among the top five for both Texansand non-Texansw was SeaWorld of Texas, and the state capitapl was sixth on the list of attractions for both Texans, however, also listed Fieldr and 's (Buda) among the top 30 attractions in Texas, whiler non-Texans listed JFK assassination-related sites. For both Texans and the LBJ and George Bush presidential libraries made the list of top 30travell destinations. Large cities in Texas are not the only locations receivint economic benefitsfrom tourism.
Small towns across America have been hard hitby large-scalse businesses and industrial farming replacing local-owned storesz and family farms. Many of thesed towns in the state have developexd creative ways to attract visitors and boosr their economiesthrough tourism. Paris, Texas, for draws visitors with its 65-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower thatis "Texanized" by donninbg a cowboy hat. The much smaller city of Albany has a highlyh acclaimed art museum in a building that was once a jail inanotherr era. All in all, Texas tourism is a thrivinyg contributor to thestate economy.
The statr actively tries to keep the tourismm industry expanding with advertisements as well as other public relations efforts both nationallyand internationally. Indeed, the campaign theme, "Texas. It's Like A Whole Othef Country," with its little bit of everything -- includinyg historical districts, the feeling of the old West, long stretchess of open plains, flowing rivers, ranchesz as large as some easternm states, sophisticated urban centersa and award winningrestaurantws -- seems to be rightf on the money.