Visit Laredo reviews marketing push, event calendar and lodging performance; approves routine motions

The Visit Laredo board reviewed a package of marketing and tourism operations updates on Feb. 6, including cross-promotions with cultural partners, a refresh of social media strategy, plans for a mobile visitor center and an events calendar heavy with sports tournaments and festivals.

Staff told the board that promotional activity in Mexico and Texas — including a resumed small commercial flight linking Monterrey and Laredo and ongoing outreach to meeting planners — has generated inquiries and steady demand. Staff also briefed the board on hotel-occupancy and visitor-spend figures and proposed continuing monthly hotel visits and outreach to support local lodging providers.

The matters matter because tourism and convention business drive hotel nights, retail and restaurant spending in Laredo. Board members pressed staff for more targeted promotion, better distribution of printed literature at nearby hotel racks and cultural venues, and closer coordination with a new city marketing/communications position now being filled.

Staff presentations and board discussion

Staff reported multiple promotional initiatives: targeted outreach to San Antonio and other Texas markets, partnerships to place Visit Laredo materials at neighboring hotels’ brochure racks, cross-promotion with arts…