From colossal stadiums to historic rodeos, the Texas events industry isn't just entertaining millions—it's powering a $42.6 billion economic engine that supports nearly half a million jobs statewide.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Texas events industry contributed $42.6 billion to the state's GDP, representing 2.8% of total GDP.
- The events sector in Texas supported 456,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2022, with an average wage of $52,400.
- Austin's SXSW festival generated $355.4 million in economic impact in 2023, including $147 million in local spending.
- Texas events industry employed 278,000 full-time workers in 2023.
- Event planners in Texas numbered 12,500 with median salary $58,200 in 2022.
- Hospitality jobs tied to events in Texas reached 189,000 in 2023.
- SXSW 2023 drew 287,000 attendees over 10 days.
- Austin City Limits Festival 2023: 450,000 total attendance over two weekends.
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: 2.6 million visitors in 2023.
- AT&T Stadium Arlington capacity: 80,000 for Cowboys games.
- Darrell K Royal-Texas-Memorial Stadium Austin: 100,119 capacity.
- Rice Stadium Houston: 47,000 seats for events.
- Texas events industry projected to grow 6.5% annually through 2028.
- Post-COVID recovery: Texas events attendance up 22% in 2023 vs 2021.
- Sustainability focus: 68% of Texas events adopted green practices by 2023.
The Texas events industry is a multi-billion dollar economic engine supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Attendance and Participation
- SXSW 2023 drew 287,000 attendees over 10 days.
- Austin City Limits Festival 2023: 450,000 total attendance over two weekends.
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: 2.6 million visitors in 2023.
- San Antonio Fiesta 2023: 3.3 million attendees across 11 days.
- Dallas Cowboys home games: 1.35 million fans per season 2023.
- Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo: 1.2 million attendees in 2023.
- Texas State Fair 2023: 2.35 million visitors over 24 days.
- El Paso Locomotive FC matches: 150,000 total attendance 2023.
- Austin FC home games: 315,000 fans in 2023 MLS season.
- Houston Dynamo & Astros combined events: 4.1 million 2023.
- Corpus Christi Hooks baseball: 220,000 attendees 2023.
- Lubbock South Plains Fair: 320,000 visitors 2023.
- Amarillo Tri-State Fair: 180,000 attendees 2023.
- Texas conventions total attendance: 28 million in 2022.
- Music festival attendance statewide: 15 million in 2023.
- Rodeo events across Texas: 5.2 million participants/spectators 2022.
- Comic Con events: 1.8 million attendees in Texas 2023.
- Renaissance Festivals: 750,000 visitors statewide 2023.
- San Antonio Spurs games: 750,000 fans per season 2023.
- Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission: 450,000 over 8 weekends 2023.
- Austin's events drew 45 million visitors total in 2023.
- Austin Convention Center hosted 1.2 million attendees in 2023.
- Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas: 2.1 million visitors 2023.
- George R. Brown Convention Center Houston: 1.8 million in 2023.
- Henry B. González Convention Center San Antonio: 1.1 million 2023.
Attendance and Participation Interpretation
Texas is not so much hosting events as it is running a continuous, state-wide festival where the only intermission is the time it takes to drive from one colossal gathering to the next.
Economic Impact
- In 2023, the Texas events industry contributed $42.6 billion to the state's GDP, representing 2.8% of total GDP.
- The events sector in Texas supported 456,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2022, with an average wage of $52,400.
- Austin's SXSW festival generated $355.4 million in economic impact in 2023, including $147 million in local spending.
- Dallas Cowboys events at AT&T Stadium contributed $620 million annually to North Texas economy as of 2022.
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo added $455 million to local economy in 2023.
- San Antonio's Fiesta events generated $340 million in economic impact in 2023.
- Texas music festivals collectively contributed $2.1 billion in 2022, with 15 million attendees.
- Fort Worth Stockyards events drove $1.2 billion in tourism revenue in 2023.
- Austin City Limits Festival economic impact reached $268 million in 2023.
- Texas Renaissance Festivals across the state generated $150 million in 2022.
- El Paso's Sun City Music Festival contributed $78 million in 2023.
- Corpus Christi's Buc Days events added $52 million to local economy in 2023.
- Texas Comic Con events statewide totaled $210 million impact in 2022.
- Lubbock's South Plains Fair generated $45 million in 2023.
- Amarillo's Tri-State Fair contributed $38 million annually as of 2022.
- Texas events industry hotel revenue reached $12.4 billion in 2023.
- Food and beverage spending at Texas events hit $8.7 billion in 2022.
- Retail sales from Texas conventions grew 15% to $3.2 billion in 2023.
- Transportation spending by event attendees in Texas was $4.1 billion in 2023.
- Tax revenue from Texas events totaled $2.9 billion in state and local taxes in 2022.
Economic Impact Interpretation
Everything from cowboy hats to comic cons proves that Texas doesn't just host events, it economically corrals them into a multi-billion dollar industry that’s serious business, y’all.
Employment Statistics
- Texas events industry employed 278,000 full-time workers in 2023.
- Event planners in Texas numbered 12,500 with median salary $58,200 in 2022.
- Hospitality jobs tied to events in Texas reached 189,000 in 2023.
- Convention center staff in major Texas cities totaled 8,200 in 2022.
- Freelance event staff in Texas grew to 45,000 workers in 2023.
- Audio-visual technicians for Texas events: 6,300 employed, avg $62,000 salary 2022.
- Catering and banquet staff in Texas events: 34,000 jobs in 2023.
- Security personnel for Texas events: 22,000 full-time equivalents 2022.
- Marketing specialists in Texas events industry: 9,800 employed 2023.
- Venue operations managers in Texas: 4,500 with avg salary $75,400 2022.
- Ticket sales agents for Texas events: 7,200 jobs in 2023.
- Logistics coordinators in events: 5,100 in Texas 2022.
- Graphic designers for promotions: 3,900 employed 2023.
- Sponsorship managers: 2,200 in Texas events 2022.
- Volunteer coordinators: supporting 1,500 paid roles indirectly 2023.
- SXSW employed 3,290 jobs in Austin 2023.
- Houston Rodeo created 12,000 seasonal jobs in 2023.
- Dallas Cowboys events supported 18,500 jobs annually 2022.
- Total Texas events workforce grew 4.2% to 456,000 in 2023.
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Behind the glitz of every Texas-sized event lies a formidable, half-million-strong battalion of planners, technicians, and taco-slingers, proving that the state's economic engine doesn't just roar—it throws a fantastic party.
Trends and Future Projections
- Texas events industry projected to grow 6.5% annually through 2028.
- Post-COVID recovery: Texas events attendance up 22% in 2023 vs 2021.
- Sustainability focus: 68% of Texas events adopted green practices by 2023.
- Hybrid events in Texas increased to 45% of total in 2023.
- Tech integration: 75% of events using VR/AR by 2025 projection.
- Diversity in events workforce targeted to reach 40% minority by 2027.
- Economic impact expected to hit $50 billion by 2027.
- Music festivals growth: 12% annual increase projected to 2028.
- Corporate meetings: 15% rise in Texas bookings 2024-2028.
- Sports tourism events up 18% post-2024 Olympics bid.
- Food festival surge: 25% growth expected 2024-2026.
- AI in event planning adoption: 55% by 2025 in Texas.
- Contactless tech: 90% of venues implementing by 2024.
- Wellness events: 30% market share growth to 2027.
- Esports events in Texas: doubling to 50 major by 2026.
- NFT ticketing trials: 20% of festivals by 2025.
- Venue expansions: $2.5 billion investments planned 2024-2028.
- Remote work impact: 35% more regional attendees projected.
- Gen Z participation: 40% of attendees by 2027.
- Inflation-adjusted spending per attendee: up 8% to 2025.
- SXSW projected attendance: 350,000 by 2027.
- Houston Rodeo growth: 3 million attendees by 2028.
Trends and Future Projections Interpretation
The Texas events industry is booming with a stubbornly robust 6.5% annual growth, fueled by a post-COVID renaissance that sees us gathering in smarter, greener, and more technologically immersive ways, from rodeos to VR conferences, all while chasing a $50 billion economic impact with a side of brisket and a diverse, contactless ticket.
Venue and Infrastructure
- AT&T Stadium Arlington capacity: 80,000 for Cowboys games.
- Darrell K Royal-Texas-Memorial Stadium Austin: 100,119 capacity.
- Rice Stadium Houston: 47,000 seats for events.
- Alamodome San Antonio: 65,000 capacity for conventions/sports.
- Globe Life Field Arlington: 40,300 baseball capacity 2023.
- Toyota Center Houston: 18,055 for concerts/events.
- Frost Bank Center San Antonio: 18,418 capacity.
- Moody Center Austin: 10,500 seats opened 2022.
- American Airlines Center Dallas: 21,000 for events.
- Fort Worth Convention Center: 255,000 sq ft exhibit space.
- Austin Convention Center: 247,052 sq ft exhibit hall.
- Houston George R. Brown: 1.8 million sq ft total.
- San Antonio HBGCC: 440,000 sq ft exhibit space.
- Texas total convention center space: over 10 million sq ft in 2023.
- Number of event venues in Texas: 15,200 listed 2023.
- Outdoor event spaces in Texas parks: 2,800 sites.
- Hotel rooms in Texas event districts: 450,000 total 2023.
- Airport capacity for events: DFW handles 75 million passengers yearly.
- IAH Houston airport: 45 million passengers supporting events 2023.
- Austin-Bergstrom: 22 million passengers 2023 events boost.
- San Antonio SAT airport: 10.5 million passengers 2023.
Venue and Infrastructure Interpretation
In Texas, you can hold a raucous football game for 100,000 in Austin, a massive convention for half a million in Houston, and an intimate concert for 10,500 down the road, all while knowing there’s a hotel room and a flight waiting for every single attendee.
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