From the staff report
A celebration of Granbury tourism was held at the Lake Granbury Conference Center on Wednesday, May 22, with the third annual Friends of Tourism Celebration Brunch. The event, which was open to the community, brought together tourism officials and partners to show their support for Granbury’s vibrant tourism industry.
The City of Granbury Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit Granbury) celebrated National Travel and Tourism Week May 19-25 by highlighting the local and regional economy and the important role tourism plays in the state of Texas.
Nate Gielin, deputy director of Travel Texas, spoke about the importance of tourism to the Texas economy and the various state designations Granbury has received through the Governor’s office.
Mayor Chris Coffman emphasized the importance of tourism to all Granbury residents, while Pro Tem Mayor Steven Vail officially recognized National Travel and Tourism Week and its impact on Granbury and Hood County.
Several individuals and organizations were recognized with Friends of Tourism Excellence Awards during the ceremony. State Senator Brian Birdwell, State Representative Shelby Slawson and State Representative Stacey Howell were honored for their outstanding contributions to tourism.
Sam Houston of Hood County News was named Media Partner of the Year.
Brian Bondy of the Granbury Chamber of Commerce, Rick Neely, president of the Lone Star Street Rod Association’s 49th State Convention, and the Granbury-Dallas Spartan Trifecta and Granbury-Dallas Tough Mudder teams were also recognized as Distinguished Friends of the Tourism Industry.
Hard Eight BBQ and Vicki Nivens were selected to represent Lake Granbury Conference Centre for their outstanding contributions.
Ms Sue Auten and Ms Suzanne Walsh were recognised as outstanding volunteers, while Dicey Smith received the Volunteer of the Year award.
Granbury Tourism and History Ambassadors and the Volunteer Information Professionals (VIP) team were also recognized for their dedication and service.
Tammy Dooley, director of Granbury Tourism and the Granbury Convention & Visitors Bureau, outlined the organization’s mission to promote Granbury as a premier leisure and business travel destination and to positively impact the city’s economy.
Dooley emphasized the large impact tourism has on Granbury’s economy, saying a Travel Texas report puts direct travel spending at $56.3 million in 2023, including hotel room taxes and other applicable local and state taxes on purchases visitors make during their stay.
“Direct tax revenues were $4.5 million. In Hood County, the impact was even greater with $81 million in direct travel spending and $7.5 million in direct tax revenues,” Dooley said. Highlighting the strength of Granbury’s economy, she added, “This is evidenced by strong Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) revenues and increasing sales taxes. In 2023, Granbury will have its first two consecutive years of hotel occupancy tax revenues exceeding $1 million.”
The celebration featured performances from local entertainers and unveiled a new promotional video for the visit to Granbury, Texas’ capital, and plans for the 2025 event are already underway.
For more information, visit visitgranbury.com
