Thursday, April 25, 2024
Guest speaker at the Visit Granbury tourism awards event was Chet Garner of The Daytripper travel series on PBS.
These vivacious volunteers play a key role in Visit Granbury's success at promoting local tourism.
Tourism is Granbury’s No. 1 industry, but its success is not solely due to the efforts of Visit Granbury, and no one knows that better than Visit Granbury’s staff.
The organization, which serves as the city’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, honored its partners and volunteers recently with a morning awards ceremony at the Lake Granbury Conference Center.
The event was held just days before National Travel and Tourism Week, May 7-13.
The theme was “Sweet on Tourism” and there was no shortage of sugar, both in terms of the food and the appreciation that was shown.
Attendees who posed for a photo in front of Visit Granbury’s “donut wall” earned the right to pick a treat of their choice off one of the wall’s pegs. There were also pastries and assorted colorful candies as well as balloons. Female staffers of Visit Granbury added another special touch to the festive occasion: matching boots with silver sparkles.
Guest speaker was Chet Garner, host of The Daytripper travel series that airs on PBS.
Mayor Pro Tem Trish Burwell also took the stage to read an official proclamation and to recognize the impact of travel tourism on Granbury and Hood County.
According to Travel Texas, travel direct spending in Texas was $91.7 billion in 2022, up more than 21% from 2021 when travel began to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
In Granbury, $58.1 million was attributed to travel direct spending, according to Visit Granbury Director Tammy Dooley, along with $4.6 million in direct tax receipts.
Dooley noted that in 2022, Granbury exceeded $1 million in Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue for the first time.
HONORS/AWARDS
Listed below are those who were in attendance and were recognized for their help in promoting tourism.
Visit Granbury VIPs (Visitor Information Professionals): Betty Moss, Arlis Holland, Carolyn Reeves, Dana Norma, Debra Mayer, Dee Wilcox, Dan Vanderburg, Dicey Smith, Eva Margel, Gloria Enriquez, Holly Martin, Jan Caldwell, Kent McKern, Lois Vicars, Lori Marshall, Lori Sipowicz, Lori Vale, Mary McDonough, Mirta Wallace, Neva Sundvahl, Patricia Boyles, Sharon Bridges, Sue Ooten, Suzanne Walsch, Tammy Quisenberry, Terry Evans, and Tristand Stewart. Marshall was recognized as Volunteer of the Year.
Sponsors of the Goosebump Jump winter guest event: LKCM Media KHITS 95.5, Jr Spas, Hilton Garden Inn, Hood County News, Granbury Lodging Association, Texas EMS, and the city of Granbury.
Sponsors of Spartan & Tough Mudder: LKCM Media Group-Hank FM/The Ranch Radio, Hood County News, Historic Granbury Merchants Association, Granbury Chamber of Commerce, Visit Cleburne, the city of Cresson, Hilton Garden Inn, Hotel Lucy, La Quinta, Best Western, Oakdale Park & Off the Vine RV, Waste Connections, Revolver Brewery, Comfort Inn & Suites, Martha’s Ranch & True Grit Ranch, and the city of Granbury.
Media Partner of the Year: WFAA Channel 8, Good Morning Texas, Hannah Davis and Paige McCoy Smith. Distinguished Friends of Tourism Awards: Hue Drone-Sven Lars, Mammoth Ice Age Run — Michael Powers; Blazin’ Saddles Bike Run 75 — Mike Keel and Dieter Scholtyssek; Gary Marks — Nature Photography, BCE Brian Clowdus Experiences — Brian Clowdus; Texas Music Office of the Governor — Chip Adams; Granbury Jazz Fest-Jazz Society of Hood County — Matt and Reagan Demming; HGMA Chili on the Beach — Ken Hackett and Debby Gorden; LKCM Media Group KHITS/Hank FM/The Ranch — Norma Savage and Gerri Schlegel; LGCC Award K12 A Stride Company — Mallory Litchfield and Sara Hooker.
Dooley said that tourism is “truly a team effort.”
She stated, “It makes me so proud of what we do here in Granbury.”
