All year long, a dedicated group works to plan the Texas Rose Festival. In October, things finally come to life as the event brings multiple days of festivities to the Rose City.
The 91st Texas Rose Festival saw thousands of out-of-town visitors and local residents alike join together to celebrate Tyler’s heritage as the Rose Capital of America. From the theatrical Coronation performance to the enchanting parade and Queen’s Tea, the events saw high turnouts to support the Texas Rose Festival Association while boosting local tourism at the same time.
“Long-running events like the Texas Rose Festival offer wonderful opportunities for visitors and residents to experience the beauty of the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden and the importance of the rose in the history of our city,” said Diann Bayes, president of Visit Tyler, a local tourism organization. “We know from some of our hotels that have room blocks for the event that rooms are picked up by attendees of the Texas Rose Festival.”
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Visit Tyler is the destination marketing organization for the city. Because of its role, the team shares the story of events like the Texas Rose Festival with travel media, on its Visit Tyler social media channels, and outside of the city to attract visitors, Bayes said.
With so many visitors coming into town, the Visit Tyler team had the opportunity to share not only the best spots for tourists like the Rose Garden, but also restaurants, breweries and more.
“Every year, Visit Tyler hosts a booth at the Tyler Rose Garden Center and provides visitor information for those who come through the doors to experience the Texas Rose Festival, visit the Tyler Rose Museum, or stroll through the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden during the festival,” Bayes said. “Most of the questions from visitors at the booth and at our Visitor Center in downtown Tyler during the festival are inquiring about where to eat or what other things we have to see and do in the city. We have several brochures and maps to share with them so that visitors can explore our community to the fullest while they are in town.”
Visit Tyler was active on its social media pages throughout the festival, sharing upcoming happenings, live looks during events and more.
“We also provided information on other events that were related to the festival including the Annual Rose Festival Arts & Crafts Fair at Bergfeld Park, the Rose City IPA available from True Vine Brewing, and the Palette of Rose Art Show to name a few,” Bayes said.
Texas Rose Festival Parade Saturday, October 19, 2024, in Tyler. (Les Hassell/Longview News-Journal Photo)
She said it is a pleasure to see businesses embrace mainstay events such as the Texas Rose Festival.
“We are blessed to have so many local businesses in the travel and tourism industry who embrace the various events year-round that bring visitors to our city,” she said. “With the recent announcement of our Tourism Friendly Designation, these businesses help to showcase why Tyler received the designation.”
Gov. Greg Abbott on Oct. 15 announced the City of Tyler was designated as the third Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community by Travel Texas in the inaugural year of the program after completing the multi-step certification process. Abbott said, in a news release, that The Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community designation shows Visit Tyler’s commitment to “further develop tourism as an economic growth strategy, boost local job creation, and draw more visitors to their community and to Texas from across the nation and around the world.”
Tourism is essential to a thriving economy, and events like the Texas Rose Festival increase a city’s exposure. Organizations like Visit Tyler and local businesses who embrace the festival help give the event a boost as well.
“We all know Tyler is a special place,” Rep. Matt Schaefer said. “The rest of the country has caught on too. There are more and more reasons to visit Tyler every year.”
Abbott noted tourism is critical to “both our local and state economies, supporting one in 11 jobs across Texas. Travelers to and within Texas generated more than $193.8 billion in economic impact and supported 1.3 million jobs across the state in 2023, according to the Governor’s Office.
This recent recognition shows Tyler plays a significant role in the state’s travel economy, said Travel Texas Director Tim Fennell.
“From its famous rose gardens to its thriving arts scene and charming downtown, Tyler has long been a place where visitors can experience the best of East Texas hospitality,” Fennell said.
Sen. Bryan Hughes said Tyler has a place in the tourism industry of Texas.
“It is no surprise that Tyler has been designated by Governor Abbott as one of the first three Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Communities,” Hughes said. “Those of us who call Tyler home know how wonderful a place it is to live, work, and raise a family. We are proud to showcase the cultural heritage and unique charm of the Rose City and look forward to welcoming even more tourists to experience all that Tyler has to offer.”
Rep. Cole Hefner added the recognition will “undoubtedly highlight Tyler as a desirable destination and positively impact tourism and economic development in the area.”
“This recognition not only validates Tyler’s well-deserved reputation for hospitality, but it will also open up new opportunities for our city,” Hefner said.
Tyler does have a growing reputation that has reached beyond just Texas. In March, on a list of 52 cities, USA TODAY ranked Tyler as the No. 1 best Texas city for people considering a move to the Lone Star State.
Bayes said that whether it is for conventions, group tours, sports, medical tourism, or leisure travel, the Tyler community “embraces visitors and provides the Texas-friendly hospitality our state is known to exhibit.”
“We are thankful for our city’s leadership that they also recognize the importance of travelers to the overall economy of Tyler,” she said.
Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce President Henry Bell said echoed the sentiments of other leaders, noting the designation is like the cherry on top for an already tourism-friendly city.
“Tyler has long been a friendly tourist destination, but to have the State of Texas officially designate our area as one of the first Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Communities in the state is a great way to communicate the importance of tourism in Tyler’s overall economic development,” he said.
