Recent years have seen Texas grow rapidly in terms of domestic and international tourism. This year has been somewhat of a disappointment with torrential rain and subsequent flooding drowning out many campsites and tourist areas. Many hiking trails have been left waterlogged and paths deemed impassable.
However, the damage has not been labeled as extremely damaging and a recovery is expected in the near future to maintain the progress the Texans have been making in recent years. The area is now an American centre for leisure tourism, accounting for 55% of the whole Texan economy. Let’s not forget the further revenue generated by business travelers. The local Austin area has received an estimated $ 2.8 billion so far this year, creating thousands of jobs in the meantime and promising more in the future. Statistics from recent years have brought evidence of the progress the Texans have been making in terms of tourism. Last year, the Texans welcomed 18.9 million visitors, almost 2 million more than in 2003. Staying on the subject of last year, the government is thought to have reeled in $200 million in tourism-related taxes.
Mexican’s make up the most significant portion of visitors to Texas, logically so being neighbours. Mexicans spend around $3.6 billion annually in the southern US state. The Canadians follow the Mexicans closely, whereas the British are Texas’s largest and most significant overseas investors. They splash out around $300 million a year on Texan soil. Despite this year’s setback with the unfortunate weather, the popularity of Texas is expected to grow not only in these countries, yet elsewhere too.
