Tucked in the southernmost tip of South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley brims with unique flora and fauna, making it a magnet for nature-oriented groups. The “Magic Valley” boasts nine distinct World Birding Center venues along a 120-mile historic river road, and it is also a major producer of citrus.
Rich with history, it is a festive cultural draw, too, along with Laredo, several hours to the west along the Rio Grande River.
On the other side of the coin, this border region of South Texas is still forced to overcome ongoing perception issues related to drug cartel violence across the border in Mexico. In the face of this challenge, CVBs are working harder than ever to attract and secure group interest.
McAllenAn economic standout and bastion of growth during the recession, the “City of Palms” continues to thrive as a group destination.
“Some people still have an outdated image of our city,” says Nancy Millar, vice president and director of the McAllen CVB. “That perception changes dramatically when they get here, though.”
Hosting more conventions than ever before, the city’s wow factor lies in its remarkable evolution, according to Millar.
“Visitors are often blown away by the shops and restaurants surrounding our gorgeous convention center, our newly renovated downtown entertainment district and everything else McAllen offers,” Millar says. “This is inspiring much repeat business.”
Enjoying one of the nation’s lowest costs of living, McAllen is a great value for planners, who can also count on superior servicing from the CVB and its partners.
“Our customer satisfaction record among planners is at 99 percent for the second year straight,” Millar says. “We work to make the meeting planner the hero.”
With its warm climate ideal for winter gatherings, McAllen is seeing more interest in hosting environmentally sustainable conventions and conferences.
“We have implemented our own Green Hotel Certification Program, which we are now expanding to other businesses,” Millar says. “This gives conventions the opportunity to walk the environmental walk if they choose.”
With a regional population that is 87 percent Hispanic and drawing millions of Mexican visitors each year, the city is also attractive to associations seeking to increase their diversity.
“With future plans including more outdoor space and a new performing arts building on the convention center grounds, we look forward to further enhancing our group appeal,” Millar says.
BrownsvilleThe southernmost city in Texas, historic Brownsville is another small to midsize meetings market draw that is emphasizing its true value, safety and international flavor in the face of negative border-related perception. Named “the second most important city historically in Texas” by the Texas Historical Society, much of Brownsville’s appeal lies in its rich South Texas heritage.
The city is named after Fort Brown, which was established in 1846 to claim the Rio Grande River as the official U.S./Mexico border. The Fort Brown Memorial Center, located on the campus of The University of Texas at Brownsville, offers meeting space. Founded in 1848, Brownsville was also the site of last battle of the American Civil War, which took place at nearby Palmito Ranch in 1865.
Battlefield tours and visits to historical landmarks, archeological sites and other heritage venues are complemented by Brownsville’s rich nature tourism and festive border culture. With annual fiestas such as the week-long Charro Days, celebrating the long-time friendship between Brownsville and its Mexican sister city of Matamoros, Brownsville offers authentic, flavorsome two-nation experiences for groups, reflected in its new “Always a Fiesta” marketing campaign.
Speaking to the Brownsville Herald earlier this year, Mariano “Bean” Ayala, president and CEO of the Brownsville CVB, made a comparison to New Orleans in talking about the new campaign.
“In the ‘Big Easy,’ there’s always a sense that something fun is going on even when it’s not Mardi Gras,” stated Ayala, who “wants people to feel the same way about Brownsville.”
With Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez calling the city “a diamond in the rough that needs polishing,” Ayala heralded the tie-in of the campaign with another marketing initiative, the year-long WOW! campaign.
“We’re trying to stand out big time,” he declared.
HarlingenLocated between McAllen and Brownsville and just minutes from coastal South Padre Island, Harlingen remains an attractive, accessible value buy at the crossroads of the Rio Grande Valley. Boasting the nation’s lowest cost of living, year-round sports and a leading regional healthcare industry, Harlingen draws thousands of enthusiasts annually for year-round birding and the internationally acclaimed Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.
Nature tourism is a major play for the city and a key element of its ongoing tourism marketing initiatives. According to a recent study from Texas A&M University, birding and other nature-related activities generate more than $300 million annually for South Texas.
With Southwest Airlines commencing two daily direct flights from Dallas’ Love Field this November, Harlingen is working to enhance its appeal as an affordable vacation hot spot.
The same allure easily translates to groups, who can stretch their meetings dollar while enjoying the natural surroundings and local sights such as the original full-sized cast of the Iwo Jima monument.
LaredoThe nation’s largest inland port, Laredo handled $215 billion in trade and commerce last year. As a logistics hub, the constant flow of international business travelers complements the additional economic boost from the Eagle Ford Shale natural gas and oil field, discovered in 2010. Laredo has gained significantly as a result, seeing more than $568 million in infrastructure and quality of life improvements over the last five years.
Against this backdrop, the Laredo CVB is working hard to manage the negative perception issues stemming from drug cartel violence.
“On the plus side, our proximity to the border has allowed us to successfully host law enforcement, border-policy, trade, commerce and other niche groups over the last few years,” says Blasita Lopez, director of the Laredo CVB. “Going forward, we are investing in rebranding and public relations efforts to enhance our destination appeal for all travel market segments.”
There is much to celebrate in this historic city. Flavorsome Laredo is a festival city, with signature events such as the 116-year-old Washington’s Birthday Celebration, recognized three times by the American Bus Association as a top 100 event in North America.
“Offering the best of Mexico without having to leave the United States, Laredo is ideally sized for small to [midsize] meetings, with high-quality, personalized support for planners from start to finish,” Lopez says.
Continuing to attract niche business such the annual National Narcotic Dog Detector Association Conference in April 2013, Laredo is investing in broader-reach plays, such as sports tourism.
“We are close to opening a new golf course and $20 million baseball stadium, with future plans for a sports tournament complex and a new exhibition hall with a hotel. These plans should increase Laredo’s appeal to both group and convention business.”
