Visitors made nearly a million trips to Wimberley

Each May, the U.S. celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week to recognize the essential role that travel plays in local communities. Wimberley’s director of tourism, Leanne Kirby, marked the week by issuing a report detailing the ways visitors impacted our city.

According to the report, Wimberley welcomed nearly a million trips to the city in 2023. The 995,285 trips were a 17.3 percent increase from 2022. The average length of a visitor’s stay was one and a half days, a 0.1 percent increase from the previous year. The three most popular months were July, August and September. The release of the 2023 report came during an exciting time when the International Dark sky Association announced Wimberley as the 2023 International Dark Sky Place of the Year.

Visitors from Houston, Dallas and San Antonio spent the most dollars in Wimberley. Revenue from this spending supports critical city services and lowers the average tax burden on local households. It supports thousands of local jobs in hospitality-related industries.

Visitors spent time in local accommodations, cultural attractions, shops, and food and beverage outlets. The three most-visited points of interest were Blue Hole Regional Park, retail stores and restaurants, and wineries, breweries and bars.

“National Travel and Tourism Week is a time to celebrate the indispensable role that travel plays in our community,” said Kirby. “Tourism fuels our economy, benefits local businesses and improves the quality of life for our locals. We’re grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge its impact this month.”

As part of her duties, Kirby is also the director of Visit Wimberley, the vibrant online gateway dedicated to promoting Wimberley as a premier travel destination by highlighting its unique charm, natural beauty and rich cultural heritage for tourists and visitors.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, travel is a $2.6 trillion industry that is essential to America’s success. Not only does it support nearly 15 million American jobs, it fuels important industries, unites people, benefits society and contributes to the global competitiveness of the U.S.

To learn more about tourism in Wimberley, key in visitwimberleytx. org, or follow on Facebook and Instagram @ Visitwimberley.