College Station ranks high as summer travel destination as experts predict busy travel season

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -Memorial Day weekend, just over a week away, marks the unofficial start of summer, signaling busy roads and airports nationwide.

According to a report released this week, we could see a surge of visitors right here in the Brazos Valley.

TripAdvisor ranks College Station as the second fastest-growing domestic destination for U.S. travelers.

Tourism experts in both College Station and Bryan say we have a lot to offer, and they’re not surprised we top the list.

“We have a lot of sports camps happening at Legends, happening at the university, a lot of conferences, and we have the fire school. All of that really drives tourism in the summer, which is really exciting,” said Lina Adams, Destination Bryan’s PR & communications coordinator.

“We could not be more excited about that. I think it’s a testament to the work of a lot of people in this town who have been working tirelessly to make sure that our local economy continues to grow and expand throughout the summer,” added Jeremiah Cook, Visit College Station tourism manager.

With major events happening this summer across the area, tourism experts say they expect the trends to continue.

Experts are predicting a busy summer travel season this year, with millions expected to hit the roads and skies.

AAA says they’re expecting the highest number of Memorial Day travelers since they started tracking 24 years ago and believe the trends will continue into the summer.

“The economy is much stronger than it was a year ago, consumer sentiment is 17% higher. That is a very strong indicator for travel. Travel bookings are up, so it’s really looking to be a very strong summer for travel,” said AAA spokesperson Daniel Armbruster.

While hotspots like Las Vegas and Cancun are top destinations, College Station has emerged as number two on the list of the fastest-growing domestic destinations for U.S. travelers.

Tourism experts in both Bryan and College Station say we have a lot to offer, and they’re continuing to market the area as a must-visit destination.

“Everything from our awesome, awesome businesses that just continue to grow and thrive to our events and everything that makes this a destination to come to,” added Adams.

“The George Strait concert, the MEX Tour soccer match, and a really large track and field event coming in July are much more exciting than I would say our normal summers have been,” said Cook.

Tourism leaders say the success of the area all goes back to everyone willing to work together.

“The university, alongside our sporting facilities, alongside all of our different hotels and all of our restaurants, all coming together to put these events on, to bring these events to town. Without that collaboration and without that unity, things like this don’t happen,” Cook added.

Experts say they’ve also seen an increase in people planning bucket list trips, milestone celebrations, solo travel, and nature adventures this summer.

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