January 2026: A Letter from Our CEO & President

Dear TTA Members,

Happy New Year! As we kick off 2026, I’m energized by the momentum our industry is carrying into this new year. We’ve just wrapped up an incredibly productive 2025, and I’m proud to share our 2025 Annual Report in this issue. It highlights the advocacy wins, programming successes, and statewide collaborations that made last year such a standout for Texas travel and tourism.

As many of us set new goals and resolutions for the year ahead, I encourage you to make one more resolution - one that supports the strength and future of our industry. Consider deepening your engagement with TTA, mentoring emerging leaders in your community, and supporting the Texas Tourism Foundation and the Texas Travel PAC. Your involvement helps ensure that Texas remains a powerhouse for travel, tourism, and hospitality, and that our collective voice continues to be strong and effective.

We’re jumping right into an exciting January. Be sure to join us for our upcoming member webinar: From Inspiration to Action: The AI-Powered Traveler Journey, presented by Robert Patterson with Mindtrip on January 22 at 2:00 PM. This session will explore how AI is reshaping the traveler experience and how your organization can adapt and thrive.

We’re also planning a member orientation webinar soon - an opportunity to walk through your TTA benefits, meet the team, and get answers to common questions from new (and long-time!) members. Stay tuned and check your inboxes for more details soon.

And great news: registration is now open for our 2026 TTA events. We encourage you to mark your calendars early and secure your spot - this year’s programming is shaping up to be our most impactful yet.

Finally, our podcast What I Like About Texas returns on January 21 with our first episode of 2026. Don’t miss a fun and fascinating conversation with Kashion Smith from Visit Amarillo about quirky Route 66 and the upcoming 100th anniversary of the iconic highway. We’ll also chat with Diann Bayes from How Big is Texas about some lesser-known gems to add to your Texas road trip bucket list.

Thank you for being part of the TTA community. Here’s to a year of big ideas, bold partnerships, and unforgettable Texas travel experiences. Together, we'll make 2026 extraordinary as we remember that life’s better in a state of travel.