San Marcos has cemented its reputation as a premier travel destination after taking home multiple awards for tourism this summer.
The San Marcos Convention & Visitor Bureau (SMCVB) received three Destination Excellence awards from the Texas Association of Convention and Visitor Bureau’s (TACV) Annual Conference this August, according to a news release.
The city stated SMCVB was awarded first place for Website Design & Effectiveness and Public Relations, as well as second place for Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) of the Year.
“I am incredibly proud of our team,” Director of Destination Services Rebecca Ybarra said. “Last year was tough for everyone, but they poured their heart and soul into making San Marcos a great place to visit. I’m so glad the SMCVB staff are getting recognized for all their hard work.”
Three-hundred-fifty organizations signed up for the week-long conference held in South Padre Island from Aug. 29-Sept. 2, according to TACV’s.
Awards are not new for the city’s CVB, which in 2020 received two Fair Idea awards, including a first place People’s Choice Award for COVID-19 messaging and a second place People’s Choice Award for its cooperative marketing campaign.
In 2018, the Texas Travel Alliance wrote in a media release that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) had presented Ybarra with the Gene Philips Hospitality Award for her “distinguished career and her longstanding efforts on behalf of TxDOT’s Travel Information Centers and the state’s $69.1 billion travel industry.”
First Place Website Design & Effectiveness Award
Last year, SMCVB made several user-friendly changes to its website, including creating separate web pages for Downtown and Music and Arts, the Sept. 12 news release states. SMCVB also created a Connect portal for local tourism partners to stay connected to the ongoings around town, and a new booking engine for local hotels was integrated into the platform.
SMCVB has tourism partnerships with Texas State University, the City of San Marcos, TACV, and the Texas Travel Alliance.
Enhancements were also made to the website’s iconography for San Marcos to better incorporate its past, presenting “a modern yet playful take” on the San Marcos experience.
First Place Public Relations Award
City departments and community members collaborated on the Mermaid Capital of Texas promotion, including a creating microsite with background on the Mermaid Capital’s history, a promotional video, a “press conference with flair,” and media bags with Mermaid Capital of Texas swag, the city states in their release. Decals were also created and placed around Downtown businesses touting the designation, and a graphic kit was made available for locals to use for mermaid related branding.
Second Place DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) of the Year Award
The DMO of the Year Award went to Texas destinations that made a significant impact within the travel industry, according to the city. SMCVB came in second place for their outstanding work in 2021.
