Pearland among certified ‘tourism friendly’

Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday announced the City of Pearland is among 35 communities throughout the state to earn a Tourism Friendly Texas certification from Travel Texas in the program’s inaugural year.
Other communities earning the destination for 2025 included Galveston, Lake Jackson, Clute, Freeport, and Surfside Beach.
“Tourism is critical to both our local and state economies, supporting one in 11 jobs across Texas,” Abbott said in the announcement. “Travelers to and within Texas generate more than $193 billion in annual economic impact and support 1.3 million jobs across the state. All Texas communities are encouraged to apply to become a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community to further grow local tourism and jobs across our great state.”
The Tourism Friendly Texas Community program is open to local governments or nonprofit organizations serving as the lead entities for tourism promotion and development efforts. Benefits of the designation include the opportunity to strengthen or establish relationships important for tourism development, educating local leaders on the importance of tourism to the state, identifying strategies, and learning more about opportunities provided by Travel Texas and other state government programs. For more information, visit: gov.texas.gov/tourism-friendly-texas.