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Waco tourism rebounds; hotels, group bookings and Baylor games lift summer and fall outlooks
Summary
Tourism officials reported Waco’s lodging demand and rates are recovering—Waco indexes 138% of 2019 and shows rate growth—while a large group-sales pipeline and Baylor football weekends are driving substantial hotel revenue gains for game weekends.
Tourism officials told the Waco City Council on June 16 that Waco’s travel and hospitality metrics are outpacing statewide and national trends for the winter–spring 2026 reporting period and that the city has a strong group-sales pipeline and favorable booking pace into late 2026 and 2029.
Lisa Blackman, the city’s chief destination development officer, introduced Cindy Decker of Tourism Economics, who presented market data showing Waco indexing 138% of 2019 levels and hotel demand up about 1.4% for November 2025–April 2026. Decker said rate (ADR) growth has returned after a prior shortfall and that downtown Waco is among the strongest Texas markets for recent rate increases.
Decker noted short-term rental (STR) supply has declined from roughly 709 units in 2024 to about 607 units; STR demand for winter–spring was down about 16% but STR rates rose ~5.5%, and STRs account for roughly 15% of aggregated lodging revenue. She said major attractions shifted: the Cameron Park Zoo now represents about 31% of attraction visits and the Magnolia remains a major draw.
Group sales were a particular highlight: DMO booking pace and conversion are strong—Decker reported a conversion rate near 69–73% and lead volume up about 138% (roughly 96,000 room nights still in the funnel). She said booked room nights are up about 26% year-to-date with additional events and lead volume that could boost future performance.
Decker quantified the local economic impact of Baylor football weekends: a game weekend added about 489 room nights on average (an 11-point occupancy increase) and a roughly $68 increase in rate, producing approximately $4 million in hotel revenue on game weekends compared with similar non-game weekends. Short-term rental occupancy and rates also jumped for game weekends (occupancy up ~13 points, rate up ~$65), delivering about $868,000 in additional STR revenue on game weekends.
Council members asked whether FIFA-related travel and other event cycles (the eclipse) would significantly change forecasts; Decker said FIFA should add inbound international demand but is producing concentrated spikes rather than long multi-day windows, and outside forecasts estimate about half of projected 2026 RevPAR growth in the U.S. is attributable to FIFA.
Officials said the Steam Center and other community attractions will be added to visitor listings and marketing. Council and staff praised the DMO sales team for high conversion rates and the robust pipeline.
