Houston is on track to welcome a record 54 million visitors in 2024, surpassing last year’s 51 million. This surge is driven by the city’s growing popularity as a convention destination and the expansion of key infrastructure, including the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Houston is about to set a new record for guests. About 54 million people are planning to come in 2024, which is a big jump from last year's 51 million. A report from Houston First Corp, the city's destination marketing group, says that this growth will likely continue because of big events and new developments that are coming up.
Michael Heckman, President and CEO of Houston First, talked about the city's big plans to keep the progress going at the State of the Visitor Economy event. He said that Houston is on track to get more visitors than ever before because it is putting more effort into drawing conventions and conferences.
The city's hotel business is doing better because of all the visitors; hotel revenue is up 15%. More than 830,000 rooms will be booked just for conventions, which is more than the city's planned "stretch goal."
The rise is due mainly to the expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center, which will give the economy a significant boost in the coming years. By making these changes, Houston is becoming a better place for both work and pleasure travelers.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has recorded 22 people found dead in bayous this year, a higher number than Houston police had previously confirmed and first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
Community leaders in Houston’s Third Ward on Tuesday urged residents to stay calm as they awaited more information about the 15 bodies found in area bayous this year—including six in just two weeks—and pledged that law enforcement would release further investigative details soon.