ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) has been selected as the 2023 Destination Management Organization (DMO) of the Year at the Texas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus conference.

The DMO of the year is awarded to a visitors bureau that is making an outstanding impact within the travel industry. Throughout the last year, ACVB has brought in more tourists, launched innovative campaigns, and tourism rebrand.

This year, tourism has brought an economic impact of $556 million, a 15.1% rise from the previous year. Travelers have contributed $46.1 million in tax revenue, an 8% increase. Tourism has supported 3,820 working Abilenians, which is a 7.3% increase from last year.

The ACVB was also awarded top honors in the state in the Excellence Award in Meetings & Conventions Promotions category. ACVB geared promotion initiatives towards meetings and conventions in Abilene. Staff also worked on the ‘Make History’ campaign geared towards spotlighting the cultural district and encouraging planners to ‘create a moment that stands timeless in the history of the city.’

“I am deeply humbled by this recognition. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our ACVB Board of Directors, elected officials, and city leadership for their continued support. I would like to also acknowledge the phenomenal ACVB staff; their dedication is unmatched, and this honor belongs to them. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the Texas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and our esteemed colleagues across the state for this honor,” said Robert Lopez, Vice President, Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau also took home second place for Excellence in Public Relations. ACVB focused on campaigns that demonstrated ingenuity, creativity, and innovative use of digital marketing channels such as websites, advertisements, email marketing, and social media platforms.