Tourism Returns to Dallas as Journey Rebounds After Pandemic – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Price

Travel is recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the hotel industry. Visit Dallas tourism promoters want Memorial Day weekend to mark the return of Dallas as a recreational destination.

Craig Davis, CEO of Visit Dallas, said hotel occupancy dropped to 10% a year ago but business has recovered, he said higher in Dallas than some other cities.

A Dallas Convention with 6,000 visitors is booked for July.

“Things have really turned the corner in the last 60 days and we’re seeing a dramatic increase in May,” said Davis. “We see the future of Dallas very, very positively.”

A new attraction in Dallas is the AT&T Discovery Center located outside of corporate headquarters on Commerce Street. The collection of restaurants and entertainment is similar to a Dallas Times Square.

“We are a city of culture, art and attraction. And people can come here to see a big city and they go very, very happy, ”said Davis.

At the DFW Airport Rental Car Center on Friday there were indications of a recovery in travel with strong business.

A group of visitors from Chicago and Baltimore who met at the airport for a Memorial Day holiday weekend in Dallas waited in a very long line at the budget rental desk.

“I’m very excited. I’ve never been to Texas and I’m excited to see what you guys have to offer,” said Goldie Williams, a tourist in Chicago.

Customers said the wait for the budget rental was about an hour.

“Everyone has a reservation. They don’t do walk-ins. Everyone you see has been waiting a long time, ”said Vanessa Murray, a Baltimore tourist.

Rental cars are in short supply this summer after companies reduced their fleets when demand was low last year and now fewer new cars are available due to a lack of computer chips.

Jami Bonomi, who had traveled from Atlanta with two college-aged children, didn’t complain.

“We’re visiting the family. We celebrate graduation, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, anniversaries, we celebrate everything, ”she said.

Her daughter Anna Bonomi blamed the vacation boost in the business for the long rental car line after visiting DFW airport with a different experience.

“I came here two weeks ago and it wasn’t that long ago. It’s interesting. I came for an interview and now we’re here for the family and the line is so much longer, ”she said.

The American Automobile Association of Texas predicts a 60% increase in travel this summer compared to home stay orders last year.

Daniel Arbruster of AAA Texas said the streets will be much busier on this Memorial Day holiday too.

“In big subway areas like DFW, Houston, you could see once or twice, even three times as much. In Houston it is predicted. So if you are traveling south you should be aware of this. If you’re on I-35, all you have to do is be prepared for delays, ”said Arbruster. “We expect the number of people traveling on July 4th and beyond will continue to grow as well.”

The recovering tourism industry means more jobs for Texan workers.

According to travel experts, hotels are struggling to hire enough housekeepers to keep up with the rising demand for rooms.

“I spoke to a hotel this morning that they could be 100% busy this weekend, but they can’t because they had to cut their hotel listings, because they couldn’t wait for those hotel rooms,” said Davis.

Vanessa Murray from Baltimore previously spent time in Dallas, so she recommended this vacation destination to her friends.

“I think we’re all excited, yes. I would say there are some good places to visit, lots of sights. I think it’s fun, ”she said.

As more and more people feel safe leaving their homes and the demand for tourism returns, travelers are warning customers to book flights, hotels and especially rental cars early. Don’t expect to just show up at the counter and find a car waiting.