Dallas Ranks As Top Five Travel Destination

DALLAS, July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (Dallas CVB) is proud to announce Dallas has been recognized as a top U.S. destination ranking third by the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Resonance Report: Top 50 US Destinations 2014, and the only Texas city included within the top ten. The report highlights Dallas as a top destination with its Big Things Happen Here brand campaign, investment in new city developments, accessibility with two major airports, dynamic arts and culture scene and major events taking place in the city.

"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. "This ranking reaffirms our efforts and our strategic planning and proves that Dallas is full of surprises."

Following Los Angeles and New York City respectively as an overall destination, Dallas additionally ranks No. 2 in the Shopping category offering a wide variety from boutiques, western-wear, high-end couture, antiques and specialty food shops.  Dallas is also recognized among the top five in Places for Culture & Performing Arts ranking with the nation's largest urban arts district and more than 160 museums throughout the area.

Top 50 U.S. Destinations 2014

1. Los Angeles, CA
2. New York City, NY
3. Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
4. Chicago, IL
5. San Francisco, CA
6. Las Vegas, NV
7. San Diego, CA
8. Denver, CO
9. Philadelphia, PA
10. Miami, FL

"Dallas has a vibrant economy fueled by new developments, a strong corporate base, and aggressive leaders," said Mayor Mike Rawlings.

"In 2008, the city 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, 5.2-acre urban park that extends above the freeway to connect three districts," the Resonance Report cites.

"The new ranking validates the ever-building momentum in the city reinforcing Dallas' position as a leading destination for business, conventions and leisure travel," said Jones.

"This news exemplifies the Dallas CVB's mission and momentum over the last ten years and our Big Things Happen Here campaign reinforces the message that Dallas shines as a 21st century vivacious city of the present and the future," said Dave Brown, executive vice president and general manager at the American Airlines Center Dallas and chairman of the Dallas CVB.

DMAI issues the Resonance Report to rank U.S. destinations from an industry perspective based on the way leisure and business travelers experience and evaluate destinations. The report examines tourism products and experiences through extensive quantitative and qualitative criteria, specifically designed to offer destinations dynamic insight on trends in the travel industry

For more information about Dallas, go to VisitDallas.com.

About Dallas 
The Dallas metro area is the leading business and financial center in the Southwest, offering visitors an unparalleled array of amenities such as more than 75,000 hotel rooms, flexible meeting space, moderate climate, service-oriented staff, and a central location with two major airports with more domestic nonstop flights than any other U.S. city. As the ninth-largest U.S. city, and part of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, Dallas provides the best shopping in the Southwest and the largest urban arts district in the nation, with five cultural venues designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects. Dallas metropolitan area is the top visitor destination in Texas and the only in the Southwest to host teams representing five major professional sports leagues.

SOURCE Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau