Making Dallas a tourist destination
Dallas has a branding problem. Of the 27 million visitors to the city last year, 80% were attending a meeting or convention, not because they chose it as a tourist destination.
Why it matters: Dallas is still best known for two things: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the long-running primetime soap opera that had everyone in the 1980s asking "Who shot J.R.?"
But millions of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may give the city a chance to update its image.
The big picture: Visitors spend a lot — about $6.6 billion a year — staying at hotels and going out in Dallas.
That creates $626 million in state and local tax revenue, according to Visit Dallas, the nonprofit organization tasked with promoting the city
The city is planning to use tourism tax dollars to pay for its new convention center, which city leaders expect to reshape downtown.
Reality check: When people think of a U.S. city to visit, they likely don't consider Dallas. Why would they when there's Chicago with its beautiful summers, music festivals and river boat tours?
Or Boston, the birthplace of America? Or New Orleans with Bourbon Street and jazz? Or San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge and nearby Napa Valley?
Or Philly with cheesesteaks and a broken bell?
State of play: Visit Dallas is trying to show potential visitors that Dallas has a lot to offer, including our shopping, dining and arts culture.
What they're saying: People know Dallas. That's not the problem. The problem is getting to see the city as something more than a 1980s stereotype.
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