This dynamic Texas city offers planners an array of choices for having their attendees connect with the local culture, whether via its diverse neighborhoods, immersive arts scene or range of culinary offerings.
“We are a warm and welcoming culture, we are inviting,” says Jennifer Walker, Sr. VP & Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Dallas. “And at the foundation of our brand are several core pillars, starting with our diverse community of people. Dallas is home to the sixth largest LGBTQ+ market in the entire country. We have more rainbow crosswalks than anywhere else in the country. We have the largest LGBTQ+ black tie fundraising event in the country, and we were at the forefront of legalizing gay marriage.
“One of our other core pillars is arts and culture,” adds Walker. “The Dallas Arts District was just named number one in the entire country by readers of USA Today. Art is really within the blood of our community. Our culinary creativity is part of our culture as well. Recently the announcement came out that Texas will have a state Michelin Guide. I’m personally excited about that, because meeting planners tend to only think that we have barbecue and Tex-Mex, but we are much more cosmopolitan and sophisticated than that.”
With more than 20 diverse neighborhoods, it can be difficult to experience everything that Dallas has to offer in the space of a few days. Planners can work with Visit Dallas to bring in a sampling of local chefs, artists, musicians and shop owners to create mini replicas of Dallas neighborhoods for attendees to experience. Visit Dallas can also arrange for groups to light up the city’s skyline with their branded colors, or project a corporate logo onto the Omni Hotel Dallas, for example.
Hotel Openings
Recent hotel openings in Dallas include the city’s first JW Marriott property, which opened in the Arts District in 2023. The 23-story hotel features 267 guest rooms, three restaurants, two ballrooms and conference space.
Hotel Swexan also opened in 2023, located in the Harwood District in Uptown. Inspired by a fusion of Swiss and Texan cultures, the boutique hotel, which offers 134 guest rooms, three dining experiences, a rooftop infinity-edge pool and 12,000 sf of meeting and event space, inhabits a 22-story mirrored tower. In February this year, the Hilton Anatole unveiled a comprehensive renovation of its 718 Tower guest rooms. Located in the Design District, the hotel offers a resort-style pool complex, a Topgolf Swing Suite and 600,000 sf of event space, including nine ballrooms and 79 meeting rooms.—Laurel Herman & Steve Grasso
visitdallas.com/meetings-events