This year marks the 40th anniversary of the annual industry celebration

Austin, TX — Visit Austin, the official destination marketing organization for the city of Austin, is announcing events as part of National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) 2023.

Established in 1983, NTTW is an annual tradition to mark the U.S. travel industry’s role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, stimulating business activity and elevating the quality of life for everyday Americans. This year’s NTTW will celebrate the contributions of the U.S. travel industry by spotlighting the essential role that travel will play in driving economic growth and innovation through the theme #TravelForward. 

“Tourism is at the heart of Austin, powering a strong economy, creating jobs and strengthening our community’s culture, history and identity,” said Tom Noonan, President and CEO of Visit Austin. “This National Travel and Tourism Week, we are proud to celebrate all that travel does for our community now, and all that it will contribute in the future.” 

“The travel industry fuels every industry—our industry’s success is the nation’s success,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “This week is a prime opportunity to elevate the message that travel is essential to moving America’s economy forward.” 

In Austin, in 2022, visitor spending generated $8.2 billion in economic impact and $837 million in local taxes, saving the average Austin household $917 per year and supporting more than 146,000 local jobs.*

Visit Austin is recognizing travel’s essential contributions to our community during NTTW with the following events:

  • Monday, May 8: Visit Austin will host a Tourism Industry Panel and Press Event for local media and industry partners.

  • Tuesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 11: Visit Austin and several local tour operators will host Austin hospitality staff for complimentary city tours. 

  • Tuesday, May 9: Visit Austin will also host a “thank you” reception for the Downtown Austin Ambassadors. 

  • Wednesday, May 10: Visit Austin will host Give Back Gig, an industry charity event and concert benefiting the Visit Austin Foundation and the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM).

  • Friday, May 12: The Trail Conservancy will host the Visit Austin and the D9 Council Office teams for a volunteer clean-up day at Auditorium Shores

Follow along with @VisitAustinTX on social media for news, updates and giveaways. Please visit ustravel.org/NTTW to learn more about National Travel and Tourism Week.

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About Visit Austin
Visit Austin is the official destination marketing and sales organization for the City of Austin. An accredited member of Destinations International, Visit Austin is charged with marketing Austin nationally and internationally as a premier business and leisure destination, thus enriching our community's overall quality of life.

*Source: Travel Texas, Workforce Commission & The US Bureau of Labor Statistics