Governor Greg Abbott on Oct 15th, congratulated the City of Tyler on being designated the third Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community by Travel Texas in the inaugural year of the program after completing the multi-step certification process. The Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community designation shows Visit Tyler’s commitment to further develop tourism as an economic growth strategy, boost local job creation, and draw more visitors to their community and to Texas from across the nation and around the world.

“Tourism is critical to both our local and state economies, supporting one in 11 jobs across Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “Travelers to and within Texas generated more than $193.8 billion in economic impact and supported 1.3 million jobs across the state in 2023. Every region of this great state offers endless opportunities to experience the natural beauty, rich history, and true Texas hospitality that draws visitors to our communities large and small. I congratulate the City of Tyler and Visit Tyler on earning this designation. 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.”

“Tyler’s recognition as a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community underscores the significant role it plays in our state’s travel economy,” said Travel Texas Director Tim Fennell. “From its famous rose gardens to its thriving arts scene and charming downtown, Tyler has long been a place where visitors can experience the best of East Texas hospitality. We are honored to recognize the city’s continued leadership in tourism through this designation.”

“It is no surprise that Tyler has been designated by Governor Abbott as one of the first three Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Communities,” said Senator Bryan Hughes. “Those of us who call Tyler home know how wonderful a place it is to live, work, and raise a family.  We are proud to showcase the cultural heritage and unique charm of the Rose City and look forward to welcoming even more tourists to experience all that Tyler has to offer.”

“I am pleased to congratulate the City of Tyler for earning the prestigious Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community designation,” said Representative Cole Hefner. “This recognition not only validates Tyler's well-deserved reputation for hospitality, but it will also open up new opportunities for our city. I am grateful to Governor Abbott and Travel Texas for their recognition, which will undoubtedly highlight Tyler as a desirable destination and positively impact tourism and economic development in the area.”

“We all know Tyler is a special place,” said Representative Matt Schaefer. “The rest of the country has caught on too. There are more and more reasons to visit Tyler every year.”

“As the destination marketing organization for the City of Tyler, Visit Tyler is delighted to be included among the Tourism Friendly Texas communities in our state,” said Visit Tyler President Diann Bayes. “We are fortunate to have wonderful advocates for the tourism economy in Tyler and businesses that go above and beyond when visitors come to our city. Whether it is for conventions, group tours, sports, medical tourism, or leisure travel, our community embraces visitors and provides the Texas-friendly hospitality our state is known to exhibit. We are thankful for our city’s leadership that they also recognize the importance of travelers to the overall economy of Tyler. On behalf of our city, we thank Governor Abbott for recognizing Tyler as a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community.”

“We are very excited to receive this designation,” said Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce President Henry Bell. “Tyler has long been a friendly tourist destination, but to have the State of Texas officially designate our area as one of the first Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Communities in the state is a great way to communicate the importance of tourism in Tyler's overall economic development.”

The Tourism Friendly Texas Community program is open to local governments or non-profit organizations that serve as the lead entity for tourism promotion and development efforts. Benefits of the designation for tourism entities seeking certification on behalf of their community include the opportunity to strengthen or establish relationships important for tourism development, educate local leaders on the importance of tourism to the state, identify and prioritize locally driven strategies, and learn more about opportunities provided by Travel Texas and other state government programs available to support both communities and the travel and tourism industry. For more information on the Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community program, visit: gov.texas.gov/tourism-friendly-texas

The mission of Travel Texas in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism is to enhance and extend local economic development efforts by marketing Texas as a premier travel destination in out-of-state and international markets, generating non-Texan travel to Texas, and creating revenue and jobs for local communities and the state.