The City of Texarkana has been designated a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community by Travel Texas, following the completion of a multi-step certification process. This recognition highlights Visit Texarkana’s efforts to use tourism as a strategy for economic growth, job creation, and attracting visitors from across the country and internationally.
Governor Greg Abbott commented on the importance of tourism to the state’s economy. “Tourism is critical to both our local and state economies,” said Governor Abbott. “Travelers to and within Texas generate almost $200 billion in annual economic impact and support 1.3 million jobs across the state. I congratulate the City of Texarkana and Visit Texarkana on earning this designation. All Texas communities are encouraged to apply to become a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community to further grow local tourism and jobs across our great state.”
Texarkana now holds both Film Friendly Texas and Tourism Friendly Texas certifications.
Representative Gary VanDeaver noted, “Texarkana has always been a place where folks feel welcome, and this certification just puts a spotlight on what our community does best. I’m proud of Visit Texarkana and everyone who works hard every day to make our corner of Texas a place people want to come back to again and again.”
Mayor Bob Bruggeman added, “Texarkana is proud to be recognized as a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community. This honor underscores the importance of tourism in driving our local economy and strengthening the regional partnerships that make our city thrive. We look forward to continuing our efforts to showcase Texarkana’s welcoming spirit and the many opportunities that make it a great place to live, work, and visit.”
Mayor Pro Tem Jean Matlock stated, “This certification is a reflection of Texarkana’s commitment to hospitality, collaboration, and community pride. We have so much to offer visitors from our unique attractions to our local culture, and this recognition highlights the teamwork and dedication that go into making Texarkana a destination people want to experience again and again.”
The Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community program is available for local governments or non-profit organizations leading tourism promotion efforts. The program aims at building relationships important for tourism development, educating leaders about its significance for the state economy, prioritizing strategies driven by local needs, and informing participants about opportunities through Travel Texas or other government programs.
Travel Texas operates within the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office with the goal of promoting Texas as a travel destination outside its borders in order to bring revenue into communities statewide.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott has supported initiatives like these through collaborations with entities such as Southwest Airlines for economic expansion projects. The office also leads statewide efforts focused on job creation, education enhancement, border security initiatives such as Operation Lone Star, child sex trafficking prevention programs, protection of individual liberties, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, maintaining executive branch operations from its main offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building since Greg Abbott’s election in 2014.
For more information about becoming certified as a Tourism Friendly Texas Community or about Travel Texas programs supporting local economies through tourism development visit: gov.texas.gov/tourism-friendly-texas.
