El Paso Celebrates Economic Development Week and National Travel and Tourism Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                      Contact: Veronica Castro April 30, 2020                                                                                          915.534.0693(o) /// 915.892.1395(m) 

Visit El Paso & the City of El Paso Celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week & National Economic Development Week

EL PASO, TEXAS· Visit El Paso and the City of El Paso are proud to celebrate both National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) and Economic Development Week from May 3-9, 2020. The week will showcase the successful efforts to create a vibrant regional economy with world class amenities that make El Paso a destination city. During these challenging times it is more important than ever that we highlight the strength and resilience of our city.

Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S. The 37th celebration arrives at an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its indomitable spirit and elevate the role it will play in America’s economic recovery. The celebration of the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry will spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with this year’s theme: The Spirit of Travel. In 2019, we saw strong numbers in visitation and direct spending which contributed to over 14,500 jobs for El Pasoans. El Paso’s occupancy of 76.2% also lead the state and national averages of 65% and 66.1% respectively, quite a different picture from what we expect to see in 2020.  

“There’s no doubt this has been an incredibly challenging time for our industry, but we see National Travel and Tourism Week as an opportunity to remind our visitors and our residents of the incredible spirit and resiliency of the travel industry and our workforce. It’s only a matter of time before we all get moving again and Visit El Paso will be more ready than ever to welcome travelers with open arms.” said Bryan Crowe, General Manager of Destination El Paso.

Now in its fifth year, National Economic Development Week was created by the International Economic Development Council, the largest professional membership organization for economic developers, in 2016 to recognize the unique role that economic development has in creating vibrant communities with strong economies. Over the span of four years, more than 450 campaigns have been created throughout the United States and Canada, creating millions of impressions, hundreds of news stories, blog entries, videos, events and other activities. Campaigns occurred in all 50 American states in 2019, with more than 60 communities officially proclaiming Economic Development Week.  

“The growth we continue to experience is due to our regional strategic plan and collaborative efforts. By positioning El Paso as a region, we have increased our opportunities to attract new businesses to our community. Events during Economic Development Week are perfect for the public to engage with our team and learn more about what we do,” said Jessica Herrera, Director of the Economic and International Development Department.

The agenda of events is attached. All events are free and available to the public.

### The mission of Destination El Paso is to provide convention, tourism, venue, and event management services to visitors, clients and the greater El Paso community so they can enjoy a pleasurable experience that enhances quality of life and generates economic growth.

For more information, contact Veronica Castro, Director of Tourism Development for Destination El Paso 915.534.0693 or via email at [email protected].