Visit Plano is thrilled to announce that Plano, Texas has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Destination of the Year title by the Texas Travel Awards. This honor highlights Plano’s outstanding contributions to the Texas tourism industry through strategic marketing, economic impact, guest experiences, and its unparalleled variety of attractions and events.
A Dynamic Destination for All Travelers
Plano has firmly established itself as a top-tier destination for leisure, business, and sports travelers alike. With a seamless blend of upscale dining, dynamic arts and culture, unique family-friendly experiences, and premier shopping, Plano continues to impress visitors from around the country. Annual events, including high-profile festivals, live music shows, and youth sports tournaments, bring vibrancy and excitement to the city year-round.
This recognition comes on the heels of Plano’s recent designation as a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community by Travel Texas, underscoring its commitment to outstanding hospitality and a welcoming visitor experience.
Exceptional Growth and Economic Impact
Plano’s tourism industry achieved a historic milestone in 2024, generating $1.08 billion in visitor spending, a 12% increase year-over-year, while supporting more than 8,140 local hospitality jobs. The city welcomed 3.6 million overnight visitors and 12.7 million day visitors, reaffirming its role as a vital economic driver and a major contributor to the region’s prosperity.
Visit Plano’s event services team further elevated the city’s status by supporting over 67 major events and successfully hosting 158 events total last fiscal year. These efforts brought in over 233,000 attendees, resulting in 48,000+ contracted hotel room nights and an estimated $56.6 million economic impact for the community.
Innovative Marketing and Media
Plano’s visibility on the national stage has been propelled by a highly effective marketing and media strategy. Visit Plano’s initiatives delivered over 38.5 million leisure media impressions with a 3.06% click-through rate, far exceeding industry benchmarks. PR efforts garnered 7,661 tourism-related mentions with a total media reach of 2.5 billion and an earned media value of $19.4 million.
Digital engagement also saw remarkable growth:
- 972,713 website sessions (up 47% YoY)
- 1.43 million pageviews (up 37%)
- 108% increase in conversions
- 21,000+ net new social media followers
- 40.4% increase in total video views, led by Instagram with 2.4 million views
Recognized for Excellence
Plano’s award-winning tourism initiatives have garnered multiple honors, including:
- Best Of Award from Meetings Today
- Multiple TACVB Idea Fair Awards, including first place for the Golden Ticket Business Travel Incentive campaign
- Bronze Adrian Award from HSMAI
- Texas Travel Award for the 2023 Taste of Plano campaign
- 11-time Readers’ Choice Award winner by ConventionSouth
In addition, national rankings continue to affirm Plano’s appeal, including:
- #1 Happiest City in Texas (WalletHub)
- Top 5 Best Cities to Raise a Family (WalletHub)
- #13 Best Place to Live in the Southwest (Livability.com)
- #16 in Park Quality among U.S. Cities (Trust for Public Land)
A Model for Destination Marketing
“Being named Destination of the Year is a testament to the tireless work of our Visit Plano team, our local partners, and the welcoming community that makes Plano so special,” said Mark Thompson, Director of Visit Plano. “From world-class events to unforgettable visitor experiences, we are proud to showcase Plano as a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive destination for all.”
For more information about Plano’s travel offerings and to plan your next visit, explore visitplano.com.
About the Texas Travel Awards
The Texas Travel Awards recognizes and celebrates top travel destinations and attractions across the Lone Star State. Texans love to travel, and this awards program brought to you by the publishers of Austin Monthly and Texas Music highlights the places, businesses, and things to do luring travelers to hit the open road and explore this great state.
