Believe it or not Dallas-Fort Worth is now considered a Top 5 destination in the United States according to a tourism marketing consultant group.
The group's annual Resonance Report ranked DFW third overall for business and leisure, behind only Los Angeles and New York City. To achieve that ranking, the group compared the number of airports, crime rankings, professional sports teams, etc., with the number of restaurants, hotels, museums and shopping.
When all the tabulating was done, Dallas-Fort Worth was near the top of the list in many categories.
"In 2008, the city [Dallas] set a multi-channel vision for development and growth to be attained by 2015. The recession notwithstanding, many of its hospitality goals have been attained. The Arts District has been expanded and numerous new attractions have been completed in the past few years, including the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University, and Klyde Warren Park, a $100 million, 5.4-acre urban park that extends above the freeway to connect three districts. The city got a slew of free publicity this year when Conan O’Brien came to town and taped a week of shows during the NCAA Final Four," the report said.
For eating and drinking, DFW surprisingly performed poorly and didn't make the report's Top 10, though Houston came sixth and Austin ninth. DFW did however come in second for shopping where the state capital came in eighth.
For places to stay, North Texas ranked third with Houston ranked seventh. For culture and performing arts, Dallas again ranked third. No other Texas city was included on that list, though Houston easily could have been.
"We have worked very hard over the past decade to position Dallas as a top destination for visitors as well as a city of optimism and opportunity for everyone. Dallas has invested billions of dollars in new developments including hotels, restaurants, cultural venues and tourist infrastructure," said Phillip J. Jones, president/CEO of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau in a statement. "This ranking reaffirms our efforts and our strategic planning and proves that Dallas is full of surprises."
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DFW is the only Texas city/area to make the report's Top 10; the list is below.
1. Los Angeles
2. New York City
3. Dallas-Fort Worth
4. Chicago
5. San Francisco
6. Las Vegas
7. San Diego
8. Denver
9. Philadelphia
10. Miami
12. Houston
21. San Antonio
23. Austin
