It’s no secret that the city of Dallas has a number of sights to attract visitors and tourists from across the nation. Sights range from beauteous parks and entertainment districts to fine cuisine and museums.
Some groups in North Texas have taken up the task of advocating on behalf of the sights and attractions the city of Dallas has to offer, one of those being the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District.
This private non-profit organization was identified recently by The Dallas Express as one of the most influential community organizations of 2023 due to its effort to increase Dallas tourism by stimulating hotel room demand.
Funded by a 2% fee from nightly room revenues of Dallas hotels with a hundred or more rooms, DTPID operated in 2022 with a $10.1 million budget. This year, it runs on $17.4 million, according to the DTPIDÂ 2022 annual report.
The organization says Dallas was the first major city in Texas to establish a tourism public improvement district in 2012. This organization is permitted to direct some of the flow of visitor spending in Dallas to enhance the city’s appeal to travelers and “enrich the lives of the people who live and work here.”
“One of our favorite aspects of operating the DTPID is awarding significant dollars to arts and cultural organizations to support the rich heritage we get to experience on a daily basis,” officials say on the company website.
The non-profit supports the Dallas cultural arts community with more than a million dollars annually, including events that draw visitors. Groups can apply for funds of up to $25,000 per year.
In its latest annual report, DTPID illustrated its success by pointing out the city experienced an increase of nearly 60% in direct visitor spending, about a 70% increase in annual hotel revenue, an additional 19.2% in tourism jobs plus an additional 22.6% in visitor growth since 2011.
This public-private partnership claims its local return on investment has made “a multi-billion-dollar economic impact” in Dallas since 2012.
This success is vital given the broader population and revenue losses for downtown Dallas. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Dallas lost nearly 16,000 people from 2020 to 2021, even amid a population boom in the metroplex and across the state.
The business moves forward through September 2029, when its agreement is up for renewal by the Dallas City Council, states DTPID chairman Greg White in his annual report’s executive message.
Current city improvements include an expansion project of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and the refurbishment of historic Fair Park. White adds Dallas will be a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
