The Dallas-Fort Worth region is home to a number of local nonprofit entities that aid in shaping the city and the surrounding area, one of which is the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District Corp.

The Dallas Express spoke with the organization’s executive director, Fred Euler, to gain deeper insight into what the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District Corp (DTPID) does for the city.

While other nonprofits are dedicated to projects like maintaining parks or improving other aspects of the city, DTPID is dedicated to making Dallas a prime tourism destination.

Dallas was the first major Texas city to establish a tourism public improvement district, and DTPID claims it has had the most “wins” out of any in the state.

Euler told The Dallas Express that he was a member of the original group of hoteliers and executives who formed DTPID in 2012. He described his service to the hospitality industry across the region as an “act of love.”

“The jobs we create and the taxes we provide for the city has [sic] all increased dramatically since we were able to establish the PID, allowing us to have some additional funds to market our wonderful city and to use some of those funds to incentivize groups and conventions to come to our city,” said Euler.

Since its founding, DTPID has been responsible for boosting the city’s tourism sector. As its 2022 annual report states the city has seen a multibillion-dollar windfall that “illustrates the power of [the] city’s hospitality industry and what’s possible when the public and private sector collaborate in a transformative way.”

Visitors to Dallas have spent a total of $5.3 billion supporting local businesses and the 65,000 tourism-related jobs around the city. There has been a 30% increase in tourism jobs, a 20% bump in visitor growth, a 40% increase in visitor spending, and a 17% spike in hotel occupancy since DTPID was founded.

Additionally, tourism generated $148 million in property taxes and $53 million in sales taxes that have gone to help pay for service projects such as road improvements, trails, recreation facilities, and more.

Rob DeCanter, director of group sales for Fairmont Dallas, attributed some of the hotel’s success directly to its work with the DTPID.

“DTPID funds have helped give us the competitive edge from a concessions standpoint when we are up against other cities in our backyard such as Fort Worth, also boasting an established TPID program,” said DeCanter, according to DTPID’s website.

“Similarly, the smallest of added incentives helps further shift the tide in selling against highly sought after destinations across the globe. Without these funds, we would not be able to fulfill our group room night objectives as successfully,” he added.

The DTPID report notes that hotel revenue hit “all-time highs” last year, exceeding $120 million in October alone. Leisure travel and hotel room revenue also overtook rates in 2019, from before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Euler said the pandemic presented the industry’s biggest challenge in recent years, but he said he was proud that hotel occupancy in the city has since bounced back.

“Our occupancies and revenues from people visiting our fine city have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. So we have climbed out, albeit the business is slightly changed,” said Euler. “The business mix is slightly changed from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic, but we are happy to say that we are back.”

Euler said the organization’s biggest goal is to continue moving forward and promoting the city, especially ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, some of which the Dallas area will host.

He said the World Cup is particularly exciting for DTPID as it grants an opportunity to showcase the city. 

“We’re gonna be on the world stage, needless to say, because it is by far the most-watched sporting event in the world, and it gives us an opportunity to show off our wonderful city,” said Euler.

He noted that the organization would continue its mission to try to boost Dallas’ reputation as a top destination city.

“Our goal has always been and will always be to increase the number of hotel stays in the city of Dallas, and to do that, you have to increase the number of visitors both for leisure, business and conventions, meetings and conventions,” said Euler. “That’s been our goal since day one.”