CALGARY — Western Canadians share ties to Texas longer than a lariat and wider than the horns on a longhorn steer. They’ve been roped together by a love of cowboy culture, legendary BBQ and long-standing business and family connections for decades. It’s no wonder that visits to Texas from Canada have dropped just 1% over the past year.

“Many of our clients have family in Texas and for them it feels like going back home,” says Fatima Laeeq, AMA Travel Westbrook. “For others, it’s a chance to do something different, like visiting the music scene in Austin.”

Top travel advisors, travel trade specialists and media gathered at the Calgary Stampede this week with Colin Wood, Account Director – Travel Trade, Travel Texas – Canada; Debra Bustos, International Marketing Specialist with Travel Texas; Dee Dee Poteete, Director of Regional Communications – Visit San Antonio; Tamer Attia, Senior Manager of Leisure Development – Visit San Antonio; Aaron Garza, Public Relations Representative – Visit Big Bend. They were joined by Susan Webb, President and Erin Oddleifson, VP of VoX International which represents Texas in Canada.

VoX International’s Susan Webb and Colin Wood

EATIN’ AND GREETIN’

New hotel and restaurant openings are happening all across the state. There are currently 18 Michelin Star establishments among the 140 Michelin recognized restaurants with  cuisines that range from nouvelle Viet-Cajun to traditional Tex-Mex.

Austin is now the home of the tallest building in Texas as 1 Hotel Austin brings its brand of sustainable luxury to town. Hotel Trinity, an Autograph Collection property, is adding 253 residential style rooms, a rooftop pool, a world class seafood restaurant and 6,600 square feet of event space to the first downtown Marriott in Austin.

In San Antonio, the historic exotic Aztec Theatre has added 77 rooms to become Aztec Hotel, a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property. “I love the butterfly theme of the new Monarch San Antonio,” says Visit San Antonio’s Poteete. “Plus it offers 15,000 square feet of meeting space within walking distance of the Alamo.”

At Esencia, a new restaurant at the St. Anthony, A Luxury Collection Hotel, James Beard nominated Chef Leo Davila combines his Chinese and Mexican heritage in a truly unique menu. At Mexico Ceaty. Chef Jason Dady has opened a 21,000 square foot immersive dining, shopping and entertainment venue inside the Shops at Rivercenter on the famous River Walk featuring live music, art activations and a busy marketplace.

In Big Bend, that beautiful corner of West Texas, the venerable Gage Resort & Spa will be adding 24 Spanish-inspired rooms and luxury suites with rooftop gardens in 2027. Ranch Water, a West Texas staple, is a popular cocktail found at their White Buffalo Bar. As Garza from Visit Big Bend tells it, “Ranch Water is said to have been created here in West Texas. The local tale is that cowboys created it in the 1960’s by mixing tequila, fresh lime juice, and Topo Chico mineral water to survive the intense summer heat. The Gage Hotel made it popular.”

For a unique stay, Summit at Big Bend offers the only cave hotel in Texas. Guests can watch the Milky Way rise over the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park through floor to ceiling glass windows in luxurious suites, or through the clear domes of Stargazer glamping suites.

SADDLE UP

Convention centres are racing for the finish line with The Austin Convention Center and George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston announcing major renovations, while the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas will be replaced with a larger facility, part of a $3.7 dollar downtown revitalization project.

FLOCKING SOUTH

Snowbirds, visitors and conventioneers will have no problem reaching the Lone Star State with nonstop flights from Calgary to both Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston with Air Canada/United Airlines. American Airlines also flies direct from Calgary to DFW.  WestJet offers nonstop flights to Austin, Houston and DFW from Calgary; flights from Edmonton to the same destinations have a stop in Calgary. United flies direct from Edmonton to Houston.

Corral more information at TravelTexas.com.

Lead image caption: Celebrating everything Texas at the 2026 Calgary Stampede are (l-r) Tamir Attia, Dee Dee Poteete, Debra Bustos, Aaron Garza, Colin Wood and Susan Webb (all photos courtesy Debra Smith)