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, San Antonio Magazine, and Texas Music highlights the top places, businesses, and things to do luring travelers to hit the open road and explore this great state.
Visit Plano was recognized for our Visitor Center in the Big Market category.
About the Visit Plano Visitor Center
The Visit Plano Visitor Center is located at Plano’s vibrant Legacy West shopping, dining, and entertainment district and serves as a resource for visitors and locals alike. Here you will find plenty of brochures and information on attractions and things to do in Plano and the surrounding area, but more notably, the Visitor Center also always has ongoing themed giveaways and contests. Follow Visit Plano on social media or stop by the Visitor Center to find out what’s coming up.
From kid-friendly Halloween face masks and treat bags, and pride-themed sunglasses, to patriotic gnomes, and holiday plush elves – there is always something fun given away to entice people inside. Contests have included a free hot air balloon ride, Plano Balloon Festival tickets, and other attraction tickets. Visit Plano has also partnered with local eateries to provide vouchers for free treats; in July 2021 Visit Plano handed out vouchers in the Visitor Center to Amorino Gelato for a complimentary ice cream, and in February 2022, the monthly promotion was a voucher for a free chocolate treat at Kilwins.
Visit Plano also keeps their doors open late once a month for Legacy West’s Happy Hour Hike event (April-December) serving as the hydration station giving away free bottles of water and other giveaway items. The hydration station is a fan-favorite!
More About Visit Plano
Visit Plano is the official destination management marketing organization for the City of Plano, and that means our job is to bring both leisure and business travelers to town. This work generates overnight stays in our 55 Plano hotels, and it is funded by the hotel occupancy tax.
This 13% Hotel Occupancy Tax is applied to guests at Plano hotels and short-term rentals. Six percent of it goes to the State of Texas and the remaining 7% local tax stays here in Plano to help fund our work at Visit Plano. It also funds the Plano Event Center, and a number of special events, while also supporting the arts and historic preservation. The State Legislature mandates how these funds may or may not be spent.
Simply put, the goal of our marketing efforts is to build and maintain awareness of Plano as a premier meetings, sports, corporate, and leisure destination. We do this through targeted communications that promote travel and overnight hotel stays in Plano. Visit Plano also supports and partners with the Plano Parks and Recreation Department, Plano Event Center, area meeting facilities, and all lodging, attraction, and hospitality partners to bring sports tournaments, meetings, and conventions to town.
During the 2020-21 fiscal year, Plano had an estimated 3 million overnight visitors. These visitors spent their time and money enjoying our restaurants, shops, attractions, hotels, and other offerings. Visitor spending has an enormous positive impact on our city!
Plano’s hospitality industry employs 6,800 people. In 2021, Plano’s visitor economy generated $750,005,806 in direct visitor spending, translating to annual tax burden relief for each household in Plano.
Visit Plano Services
Visit Plano has a dedicated sales team that focuses on association, corporate, government, sports, and SMERF (social, military, education, religious, and fraternal) market segments. The team is responsible for providing the tools and information necessary for meeting and event planners and tournament directors to choose Plano as the host city for their events. Then, the Visit Plano team works hand in hand with the planners in finding them the best venues and hotels to fit their needs. The team will work with them from start to finish to make the planner shine and have the most successful event possible.
If your company is seeking a new destination for an upcoming seminar, meeting, trade show, or convention, please contact a member of our team for assistance. It’s our job to make you look good, and we would love to help you be the local star!
At Visit Plano, service is our mantra and our mandate. When it comes to hosting meetings, events and sporting events, think of Visit Plano as your one-stop shop. We stand ready to assist planners in the hotel and venue selection process and will do whatever it takes to ensure your meetings and events are a positive reflection of your company or brand image.
From housing and transportation coordination to speaker gifts and printed name badges, our Event Services Coordinator can assist with every detail both small and large.
Another popular service we offer is custom resource lists and maps. Need a list of restaurants around your host hotel? You got it! Want a list of area urgent cares, hospitals, and athletic stores for your sports tournament? We have it! You name it and we’ll tailor it just for you.
Services are complimentary when planners use a minimum of 50 hotel rooms on a peak night. Even if a group does not require 50 or more hotel rooms, we will do our best to support your group however we can.
New events may be eligible for special assistance through our sponsorship program which gives financial assistance based on number of room nights generated by your event. This makes your meeting in Plano more affordable!
Come say “hi”! Stop by the Visit Plano Visitor Center (located at 7600 Windrose Ave., Ste. G110, Plano, TX 75024)
Monday-Friday from 8am-4:45pm. Have a question? Feel free to give us a call at 800-81-PLANO.
