Visit The Woodlands, the official Destination Marketing and Management Organization of The Woodlands Township, recently held its Annual Meeting celebrating a record year in hotel utilization.

Between 14 hotel properties, travel and tourism in The Woodlands generated over $9.5 million in hotel occupancy tax revenue for The Woodlands in 2023, exceeding 2022's hotel tax collections of $8.6 million. The Woodlands community relies on hotel and sales tax, which comprise more than half of The Woodlands Township’s annual budget.

"We’re excited to be coming off a record year,” said Visit The Woodlands Chairman Brad Bailey, who was elected by his peers to serve a second term. “I look forward to continuing to think outside of the box with the Visit The Woodlands team and newly appointed Board of Directors to further establish The Woodlands as a premier destination for business and leisure travel.”

During Visit The Woodlands' Annual Board Meeting on January 18, 2024, the 2023 Board of Directors approved an expansion of the Board from seven (7) to eight (8) directors. The newly appointed eight-seat Board elected Brad Bailey as Chairman, Linda Nelson as Vice Chairman and Richard Franks as Secretary/Treasurer. 

Elected Directors for 2024 include Jennifer Gohagan, General Manager for The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center; Jenny Taylor, General Manager of Market Street; Cameron Klepac, Director of Marketing & Education at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion; and Monique Sharp, President/General Manager of The Woodlands Township. Kim Lowe, Complex Director of Sales for The Woodlands Hotels (The Woodlands Resort, Westin at The Woodlands, and Embassy Suites The Woodlands at Hughes Landing), was elected to the Board as an eighth Director. The Board of Directors for 2024 appointed Nick Wolda as President of Visit The Woodlands.

Brad Bailey, Chairman of Visit The Woodlands

Brad Bailey, Chairman of Visit The Woodlands

“We’re pleased to have an outstanding group of Directors who have a strong, vested and passionate interest in seeing The Woodlands succeed as a vibrant community,” said Brad Bailey, Chairman of Visit The Woodlands. “Our decision to expand the Board of Directors will allow us to gain new perspectives and work together to generate new ideas for increasing tourism in The Woodlands. We’re pleased to add the expertise of Kim Lowe who oversees the sales efforts of some of our largest hotels in The Woodlands. ”

Serving in a volunteer capacity, the Directors set policy and the annual budget as well as provide input on marketing and sales initiatives promoting The Woodlands for business and leisure travel. Visit The Woodlands generates revenue for The Woodlands Township through the collection of hotel and sales tax. Learn more about Visit The Woodlands' mission and funding here.

Trolley driving on pathway behind The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel

"Travel and tourism is booming in The Woodlands,"  said Nick Wolda, President of Visit The Woodlands. "Our destination has been known for a long time as a great place to live, and now many people know know it as a great place to visit for both business and leisure travel."  

Visit The Woodlands will continue to build on the sales, marketing and tourism initiatives that have been introduced in recent years. To enhance the online experience for its users, Visit The Woodlands will be releasing a new hotel booking engine and begin a website redesign in 2024. 

"We're incredibly excited for this year's initiatives," continued Nick Wolda. "Not only are we hosting several exceptional conferences, including Texas Travel Alliance's Unity Dinner and TSAE's New Ideas Conference, but we're also evolving our online offerings for leisure travelers. Visit The Woodlands is in a great position to implement new ideas and work together to raise the bar as we look towards the future of tourism in The Woodlands."