by Scott Joslove, President & CEO, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association
I
n the days of COVID-19, the Waco tourism industry and city officials are not sitting idle. Plans are currently underway by Waco hoteliers to propose and seek creation of a Waco Tourism Public Improvement District (TPID). The proposed District has received strong support from the Waco Convention Center & Visitors Bureau, Waco City Council, the Waco City Manager’s Office, and the City of Waco Legal Department. The process for creation of the District is being facilitated by Todd Bertka and Carla Pendergraft of the Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). If approved, the District will include all hotels within the City of Waco that have 75 or more sleeping rooms. The creation of this District was actually initiated prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impetus has changed with the onset of the pandemic. What was a great idea to promote the economic growth of a thriving Waco hotel sector will now be an essential tool for achieving the economic recovery of a COVID-19 impacted Waco tourism industry. COVID-19 shelter at home orders, travel bans, and the cancellation of conventions, group meetings, and large events has had a draconian 12 | FALL 2020
impact on Waco hotels — that prior to the pandemic were leading the state in hotel occupancy growth. From January to April of this year, Waco hotel occupancy levels dropped from 72.0 percent annualized occupancy of all hotel rooms to a below subsistence level of 29.8 percent occupancy of Waco hotel rooms. While we don’t expect the impact of COVID-19 to last forever, it is not clear when the ability to freely travel and meet will return. The creation of a Waco Tourism PID, however, will allow Waco to “hit the ground running” with enhanced funding to market Waco hotels and tourism venues once that time arrives. We will want to get the word out that Waco hotels are open for business and be able to provide incentives to secure group meetings, sporting events, and other gatherings that are essential to filling hotel rooms, restaurants, and countless other community businesses. Texas currently has four operating Tourism Public Improvement Districts. The first District was created in Dallas, Texas. The work of the Dallas Tourism District
