Destination Waco

Waco skyline at night featuring the Alico building with Waco, Texas in large text at the top

About Us

Destination Waco is the City of Waco's official destination management organization (DMO). We are the city department responsible for growing Waco's visitor economy — and for making sure that growth benefits the people who live here. You may have known us as the Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). In recent years our role has grown beyond marketing and convention sales: today, Destination Waco works on destination development, partnerships across the tourism industry, visitor services, events, and the long-term stewardship of what makes Waco a great place to live and visit. The name Destination Waco reflects that broader mission.

Tourism is one of Waco’s economic engines, generating $832 million in annual visitor spending and supporting approximately 6,500 jobs across the Waco metropolitan area, based on 2025 economic impact data from Travel Texas. This visitor spending helps support city services residents rely on every day. When tourism is managed well, it can also strengthen small businesses, support better events and public spaces, create meaningful career opportunities in hospitality, and contribute to a downtown and riverfront that residents enjoy as much as visitors do.

We believe a great place to live is a great place to visit. That's why Destination Waco works hand-in-hand with local businesses, Baylor University, Magnolia, our chambers of commerce, McLennan County, arts and cultural organizations, hotels and restaurants, and neighborhood and community groups — as a convener that helps all of Waco row in the same direction.

What We Do

  • Destination marketing — promoting Waco, Texas to leisure travelers, meeting planners, and event organizers through destinationwaco.org and beyond.
  • Convention & group sales — attracting meetings, sports, and events that fill hotel rooms and support local businesses, in partnership with the Waco Convention Center and area hotels.
  • Visitor services — operating the downtown Waco Welcome Center and helping visitors experience more of Waco.
  • Destination development — working with partners to strengthen Waco's attractions, districts, events, and visitor experience.
  • Industry partnership & community benefit — convening tourism businesses and community organizations, supporting hospitality workforce development, and ensuring tourism delivers for Waco residents.

Plan a Visit

For things to do, dining, lodging, events, and trip ideas, visit our traveler website.

Plan your visit at destinationwaco.org

Tourism Planning Process

Destination Waco is leading a community-wide planning process to develop Waco Forward: Our Destination Strategy, a five-year plan for the future of Waco’s visitor economy. The goal is to create a shared strategy that helps tourism deliver greater value for Waco — including:

  • Stronger local businesses — helping visitors discover more of Waco means more customers for local restaurants, shops, and attractions.
  • Community benefit — visitor dollars support jobs, events, public spaces, and city services for residents.
  • One shared direction — Waco's first destination-wide strategy aligns the city, industry, and community partners behind common priorities.
  • A stronger Waco story — defining an identity that reflects all of Waco, told with pride.

Together, we can shape a thriving, sustainable, and community-centered future for tourism in Waco. Let's build a strategy that reflects Waco's vision, values, and voice.

Help Shape Waco's Tourism Future