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. The 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 significance of tourism in Texas: “Tourism is critical to both our local and state economies. 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 stated, “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.”
Texarkana 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 said, “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 to help communities build relationships important for tourism development, educate leaders about tourism’s role in the state economy, identify locally driven strategies, and access resources provided by Travel Texas.
Travel Texas operates within the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office with the goal of promoting Texas as a travel destination in out-of-state and international markets. This supports local economic development by increasing non-Texan travel revenue for communities statewide.
According to information from the official website, Governor Greg Abbott has led initiatives focused on job creation, economic opportunities, education enhancement, individual liberties protection, parental empowerment in schooling, southern border security, border security operations such as Operation Lone Star, prevention programs against child sex trafficking, collaborations with businesses like Southwest Airlines for economic expansion projects, as well as supporting community certifications through Travel Texas.
For more details about the Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community program visit: gov.texas.gov/tourism-friendly-texas.
