Boerne tourism officials report steady annual gains, brief first-quarter dip and flooding-driven hotel surge

The Boerne Convention & Visitors Bureau board heard a tourism and marketing update that said the city posted steady annual gains in 2024, recorded a weaker first quarter in 2025, and saw a short-term surge in hotel occupancy after recent regional flooding drew evacuees and response crews.

At the meeting, board presenter Larry (board member/presenter) said Boerne’s 2024 year-end results included a 62.9% occupancy rate and an average daily rate of about $130.70, and that the destination "did very well" compared with competitors. He also told the board the first quarter of 2025 started "going backwards" industry-wide but that Boerne "did fairly well compared to our competitive set." Larry said that after last week’s flood response, most hotels filled quickly and that the impulse bookings should continue for a week or two.

The update condensed three categories of reporting — hotel performance (Smith Travel data), visitor traffic and Hill Country Mile (retail/dining) spending — and emphasized marketing activity and partnerships. Staff noted a fourth‑quarter 2024 fair‑market‑share figure of 5.97% with actual share of 7.93%, and a first‑quarter 2025 fair‑market share reported at 6.15% with a finish at 7.08% in the hospitality competitive set shown to the board.

Why it matters: board members told staff the data informs advertising buys, passport-style promotions and group sales outreach. Staff flagged a 32% increase in visitor days during the first quarter and said that the increase was driven in part by multi‑day events (garden shows, weddings and other multi‑day conferences) that produced more visitor days even when nightly occupancy fell in some comparison sets.

Marketing, partnerships and targeting

Staff described recent and planned advertising, including digital and print buys in five major Texas markets, marketing placements with TourTexas and Texas Highways, and a Brand USA partnership. Executive staff said Brand USA agreed to place $30,000 of federal funds alongside a $10,000 local match to support targeted international promotion (the local match was provided by the bureau). The bureau also uses Datify to measure ad exposure and downstream visits; staff reported a Datify-tracked campaign that generated 904 trips to Boerne and 190 room nights among users exposed to that advertising.

Tori (staff member) summarized visitor‑demographic reporting and said much of the travel data is derived from cell‑phone and credit card sources; she asked the board whether to present full demographics each quarter or only when notable changes occur. The board asked that staff continue to provide demographic snapshots when a meaningful change is detected or when a new member needs orientation.

Group bookings, events and short-term demand spike

Staff reported renewed group interest and specific bookings tied to disaster response and future events. Larry said insurance adjusters and disaster-recovery teams were already arranging month‑long stays, and that organizers had committed to the firefighter games in 2027 (700–800 participants). He also said meeting and group sales leads for several fraternal, social and educational groups were active.

Larry told the board staff contacted several hotels during the flooding to check availability and rates; he said the Bevy and Hampton Inn "took care of their folks" and that one limited‑service property (Motel 6/Days Inn) ran roughly 50% occupancy while most others were near capacity.

Passport promotions, influencers and earned media

Staff described a new Sip and Stroll dining passport and a retail passport scheduled to launch, targeted influencer contracts (a quarterly contract with Explore), and a CultureMap article that ran across five Texas markets. Staff credited Datify and AJR Media with providing campaign measurement that ties impressions to time‑to‑visit metrics and said those measurements helped justify continued advertising spend in Houston, San Antonio and other core feeder markets.

Funding, grants and training

Board members asked about recently approved grant awards and tourism funding. Staff confirmed that the bureau’s share of Brand USA funding was matched locally and that a $10,000 grant approved last year for 2025 had not yet been dispersed to the recipient. Staff also said the tourism industry secured increased state funding for the biennium (the presenter cited a statewide figure of $138 million for tourism funding that passed in the biennium). Board members were reminded of upcoming ethics training scheduled at the meeting space.

What board members said

Todd, general manager of the Hampton Inn and the board’s new member, said he was "glad to be here." Paula moved and Ross seconded approval of the meeting minutes; the chair called for the vote and the motion carried.

Ending

Staff said they will continue to monitor occupancy and spending, provide targeted demographic reporting when meaningful changes occur, and follow up on group‑sales leads generated by the flooding response. The board adjourned after the report and a brief Q&A.