Summer is peak season for travel and vacations. We’ve all had that moment, standing in the middle of a vibrant downtown, exploring a local museum, or enjoying a great meal, and thinking, “I could live here.” That’s when you know you’re visiting a great city. It leaves an impression that goes beyond the itinerary. It makes you feel at home.
That feeling is at the heart of a concept shared by Maura Gast, Executive Director of Visit Irving, that I’ve carried with me ever since I first heard it. It’s a simple, yet powerful framework that explains the true value of tourism beyond hotel bookings and ad campaigns. Maura says:
“If you build a place where people want to visit, you’ll build a place where people want to live. If you build a place where people want to live, you’ll build a place where people want to work. If you build a place where people want to work, you’ll build a place where business wants to be. And, if you build a place where business wants to be, we’ll be back to building a place where people want to visit. It all starts with the visit and that visit doesn’t happen without us.”
It’s a beautiful, full-circle idea, and it resonates deeply with me, both as a tourism professional and as someone who believes in the power of community.
At the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, this is the work we do every day. We invite people in. We tell Abilene’s story. We bring in conferences, tournaments, and events, not just to fill hotel rooms (though we love when that happens), but to plant the seed of connection between a visitor and our city.
Because we know what can happen next.
A family visits for a softball tournament and falls in love with the community.
A professional attends a conference and sees an opportunity to relocate.
A business executive comes to scout a new market and ends up investing in downtown development.
A student tours one of our local universities and decides to call Abilene home.
That’s how it works. That’s the loop.
We’re already seeing it happen here in Abilene. Our growing downtown cultural district, first-class sports facilities, and our commitment to public art, parks, and quality of life initiatives are helping shape a city people are excited to visit and proud to call home. These improvements attract talent, strengthen our workforce, and encourage investment. And the cycle continues.
As a lifelong learner and someone who’s dedicated to building a stronger Abilene, I believe this concept is worth taking to heart. Whether you’re in tourism, education, healthcare, retail, or any other industry, your work contributes to this cycle.
So the next time you see visitors walking around our museums, dining downtown, or cheering at a ballgame, remember: It all starts with a visit.
Let’s keep giving them a reason to come…and a reason to stay.
-By Robert Lopez, Vice President, Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau