INFORMATION DO BUSINESS HOT VENUES NEWS CONTACT US News > Houston In the News HOUSTON IN THE NEWS 2021 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 Year-to-Date 2020 2019 November 2021 What’s your holiday personality? With tourism rebounding, COVID cases declining, and countries across the globe loosening their borders, this holiday season is expected to be far busier than last. Maybe you haven’t seen your family in two years—in which case you’re probably going home. But for travelers with more leeway, a ... Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More What’s the Best Craft Beer City in the U.S.? Austin hosts dozens of breweries, and San Antonio headquarters the famous Pabst Brewing Co., but the lone star state's best brew town may just be Houston with its "brew pass" - in fact, the city has seen a 344% increase in craft breweries since 2013 and welcomed 10 new breweries ... Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Must-visit museums, bars, restaurants and attractions in Houston They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and that clearly includes the host of stellar new experiences on offer in Houston. Yes, now that the US international travel ban has been lifted, we’re free to head stateside and enjoy the cool culture in Beyoncé’s hometown. Tags: International Read More October 2021 The Most Haunted Place in Every State La Carafe is the oldest bar in downtown Houston, dating back to 1866. The dive bar is known to be haunted by the former bartender, Carl. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More It's time again to plan a trip to Houston “The Texas city still has many surprises to reveal. Hidden among its tall skyscrapers, Houston offers a captivating cultural proposal, which includes sports, gastronomic, natural and artistic options”. -Spanish language article- Tags: International Read More 13 Winter Vacation Ideas to Book Now Of course, the fourth largest city in America will be ripe with fantastic museums, dining and shopping, and Space Center Houston is an obvious standout, but there’s something else that Houston offers young visitors: art. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More The James Beard Awards 2021 Award Resilience "After two years in which the restaurant industry has had to resist the economic ravages, the James Beard Awards 2021 concentrated its efforts in supporting American gastronomy. Houston was one of the host cities, and a sponsor of the Celebration of Culture show." -Spanish language article- Tags: International Read More September 2021 Fall 2021 Organized in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Niki de Saint Phalle in the 1960s at The Menil Collection highlights Saint Phalle's forward-thinking, feminist artworks from European collections. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Drumroll Please! Season 19 of Top Chef is Heading to… Seemingly before the last tear of joy has been shed on each season’s finale of Top Chef, fans of the show turn their attention to the next season and begin speculating, hoping, dreaming about the next locale. Well, wait no more! Top Chef Season 19 will be planting its ... Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston to Host Top Chef Season 19 H-Town holds it down as the nation’s most diverse city, and with that blend of nationalities and cultures, the city's food scene flourishes. That is why Bravo saw fit to name Houston the host of hit show Top Chef's Season 19. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 15 Romantic Things to Do in Houston Houston is the city for foodies, artists, adventurers, and playful pairs seeking both metropolitan culture and small-town charm. No matter what romance looks like to you—a high-end dinner, an afternoon on the lake, or a day at the spa—it all goes down in H-town. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Everything We Know About Top Chef Season 19 Reality TV loving foodies, it's time to sharpen your knives. Top Chef, an OG in the reality cooking competition world and still one of the most popular shows in that space, is coming back for a 19th season with more Quickfires, more cheftestants, and almost certainly more Restaurant Wars. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More The Best Dive Bar in Every State Located inside Houston’s oldest structure and listed on the National Register for Historic Places, La Carafe is a must-visit location. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Meet in HTX: Your Guide to What's New in Houston 22' Houston. It was the first word spoken from the surface of the moon. It is the most diverse city in the country. It has a legendary food scene. And it also happens to be a particularly smart choice for a destination meeting or event. Tags: Domestic Leisure , Meetings and Events Read More August 2021 Deep in the Art of Texas Established in 1995, The Texas Cultural Trust is the leading voice for the arts in the Lone Star State. Tags: Domestic Leisure , Meetings and Events Read More Outdoor Food Festival Comes to Houston COMMUNE is coming to Houston this weekend. Organizers call it "a series of micro-events run by a collective of acclaimed chefs. An 'anti-food-festival,' one that is equitable, gives back to the community, champions social justice, and is committed to addressing systemic issues facing the hospitality industry." Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston First officially welcomes Michael Heckman as president/C Houston First Corporation, the official DMO for Houston, has named Michael Heckman as its next president and CEO. For the last 12 months, Heckman has served as the acting president and CEO after being appointed to the position by Mayor Sylvester Turner. He was charged with overseeing full operations of ... Tags: Domestic Leisure , Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More Room Request! Hotel ZaZa Museum District With 315 rooms, the Hotel ZaZa Museum District is situated in the heart of the vibrant Museum District in Houston. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Luminous architecture, fine art and urban gardens are among Hous Sometimes in Houston, it’s possible — for a little while — to forget the pandemic altogether, said Michael Heckman, acting president and chief executive of Houston First Corp. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston's Destination Marketing Organization Names Its New CEO The Houston First Corp. has named Michael Heckman as its CEO following a year in which he held the position in an interim capacity. The destination management organization owns the 1,207-room Hilton Americas-Houston hotel, and manages the George R. Brown Convention Center along with 10 other city-owned properties, and ... Tags: Domestic Leisure , Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More Extreme hotel makeovers, COVID edition The new Trellis Spa at this Texas hotel is the result of a major 2021 investment. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More July 2021 Houston's Best Neighborhoods Visiting a city like Houston can feel overwhelming. Like many places in Texas, Houston is spread out, and attractions aren’t centered in just one area. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More The World's Greatest Places of 2021 100 extraordinary destinations to explore. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More How To Create The Perfect Picnic “Downtown Houston is where I live and like to unwind, so when I want to stay close to home, I head to Buffalo Bayou Park. I try to snag a space within the Eleanor Tinsley Park section. The greenspace is so picturesque and right off the bayou, making it a ... Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 50 Mini Vacations That Won't Break the Bank Looking for a getaway that really feels like you've left home, even if you only have the weekend to work with? Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More New Series Celebrates Immigrant Communities Throughout U.S. It was a Sunday, they'd just come back from church. The largest Nigerian church in America actually started in the living room of the house I grew up in, and they go to our [same] church. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Immigrant communities that capture the real American Dream I'm Nigerian but born and raised in Houston, the largest population outside of Nigeria...Whenever I would go back [to Nigeria], there's so many nuances that people expected me not to understand because I didn't live there. Like, y'all — it's mini Nigeria in Houston. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More A Bigger Canvas The dazzling new Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston confirms the city's status as a cosmopolitan art mecca. Visiting groundbreaking galleries, mind-expanding installations, and under-the-radar incubators nurturing homegrown talent. Michael Agresta opens his eyes to a world of possibilities. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More June 2021 10 Best LGBT + Bars Across the United States Houston’s Ripcord has been the spot for gay men to gather and mingle since the 80s and is located in the LGBTQ+ friendly Montrose neighborhood. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Convention Centers Invest in Hybrid Offerings as Events Resume Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center has been outfitted with a fully-fledged broadcast studio, the Avenida Houston Virtual Studio, to “give event planners even more flexibility in how they operate their conventions,” says Michael Heckman, Acting CEO & President of the Houston First Corporation. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 10 Hotel Pools Worth Traveling for This Summer As they say, everything is bigger in Texas, and the Marriott Marquis Houston does not disappoint with its Texas-shaped lazy river rooftop pool. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston First taps Jorge Franz as President of GHCVB In his new role, Franz will act as a liaison between Houston First and the GHCVB, a hospitality industry association and advocacy organization that helps to market the Bayou City as a site for conventions and other large-scale events. Houston First is the quasigovernmental organization charged with promoting the city ... Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More 13 Amazing Asian American-owned Hotels in the U.S. In February 2021 - just months before the Blossom Houston Hotel was set to open in the spring - owner Charlie Wang should have been completely focused on getting every detail of his 267-room, 16-floor property ready. But when he heard that some of his employees were dealing with broken pipelines in ... Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More This Juneteenth, Houston Activists Are Shining a Light on the Ci What many don't know, however, is how central the city of Houston became to the history of those communities—as well as what we celebrate on June 19 to this day. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 2021 Convention Cities Index Showcases Best Destinations Selecting a convention destination can be difficult in the best of times; in a pandemic, it's even trickier. Among key considerations now are space for social distancing; ample direct airlift; and safety factors, including health concerns. Tags: Domestic Leisure , Meetings and Events Read More How and Where to Celebrate Juneteenth in 2021 In Houston, a Jubilee Dinner will celebrate freedom throughout the African diaspora with food. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 18 of the best Hilton Hotels in the US to earn or use points An obvious choice for business travelers, Hilton Americas-Houston connects to the George R. Brown Convention center via skywalk, yet this downtown flagship property is also a great choice for city explorers on the go. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Five of America's Most Invincible Hotels After a rollercoaster 15 months of sudden closures and dismal occupancy rates, hotels across the United States are cautiously greeting travelers again thanks to a string of creative measures, with once-exotic technological novelties like... Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Check out a galaxy of new bars and quirky museums in Houston With its flourishing urban parks, cultural spaces and rooftop bars, this cosmopolitan city built on oil is on a mission to invest and evolve. Tags: International Read More Destination Spotlight: Houston Destination Spotlight 76 - Visit Houston's CEO Michael Heckman helps us share many reasons why the city deserves some of your travel dollars Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Traveling to Houston for the vaccine? Guide to Enjoy the City Going to Houston but don’t want to spend all the free time shopping? This Texan city has an important cultural offer, outdoor spaces and fun activities, in addition to one of its main attractions: Houston Space Center. Tags: International Read More May 2021 What to Do and Where to Meet in Houston It’s often said that the United States is a mosaic of different ethnicities, cultures, cuisines—the list could go on—and it’s likely you’ll find no better microcosm of this than in Houston. Tags: Meetings and Events Read More 5 Delicious Places to Eat in Houston Combining local flavors, world recipes, and creative chefs, the food scene in this Texas city shows that in and of itself it is a good reason to plan your next visit. Tags: International Read More What to do in your next visit to Houston This southern American city has a leisure offer that you should not miss. This Texan city has always been a favorite for Mexican travelers. Tags: International Read More Bigger in Texas Its original Trellis Spa always drew me to sit for a spell in quietude. But that was the old Trellis Spa (bless its heart). Folks, hold onto your horses because the new Trellis Spa, reimagined by Blu Spas, Inc., can strut sitting down. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Chris Williams On Feeding Communities With Dignity After creating a restaurant and menu inspired by his great-grandmother's genius, turning his focus to sustainable support in Houston. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Lonestar Getaways 53 Out-of-this-World Escapes For Wine Lovers, Movie Buffs, Adventure Seekers, and More. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More In pictures: The southern US city where you'll discover the real With its flourishing urban parks, cultural spaces and rooftop bars, Houston is on a mission to invest and evolve Tags: International Read More Houston, a weekend of luxury and fun More than shopping malls, NASA and hospitals, this city visited by many Mexicans has much to offer. Tags: International Read More Opinion: Houston will rise again with a resurgence of conference A major resurgence of meetings, conferences and events is already underway. After nearly 12 months of dormancy, the hosting venues of our city are poised to post record-setting numbers in the final two quarters of the year. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Where To Eat The Best Vietnamese In Houston More than 50 years since astronaut Mr Jim Lovell radioed mission control to report that infamous “problem” with Apollo 13 – and 25 years since Mr Tom Hanks echoed his words on the silver screen – Houston is still inextricably linked with Nasa in the minds of many. Take a closer look ... Tags: International Read More New Attractions Ready City for Return of In-Person Meetings A proactive stance throughout the pandemic has landed Houston with a bumper H2 2021 of in-person events, a suite of new attractions, and high hopes for the future of meetings and conventions in the city. Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More April 2021 Hotel Business in Houston on the Road to Recovery Occupancy at Houston hotels is off six points from what would normally be expected this time of year, but it's a far cry from where we were last year The past year has been brutal for the Houston hotel industry. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More 10 Autism-Friendly Vacation Spots for Families Many cities, parks, museums, and other attractions have sensory sensitivity programs to help make autism-friendly vacations easier to plan. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Hotel Business in Houston on the Road to Recovery The past year has been brutal for the Houston hotel industry. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Beaux Arts Houston: How to tour Texas’ top art scene - Haute Liv Perhaps Texas’ artsiest city is Houston, a sprawling, culturally diverse metropolis born on oil profits, sports teams, and a storied space program. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Celebrate Solar New Year With Inspiration From These Southeast Houston chefs share their favorite holiday memories Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 2021’s Most Diverse Cities in the U.S. Houston ranked No. 1 among nations most diverse cities in Wallethub, which is the final installment in WalletHub’s diversity study series. It combines household diversity and religious diversity with our previous reports on socioeconomic diversity, cultural diversity and economic diversity. Tags: Domestic Leisure , Houston First Corporation , International , Meetings and Events Read More Inside Texas' First Hemp-Based Vodka Company In 2019, Houston Native Ben Williams launched one of the only fully black-owned distilleries in the country. Now, Highway Vodka is taking the Lone Star State liquor scene by storm. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More The Weekend Guide: Barbecue, Rothko, and Space History in Housto From its world-class museums to its wild outdoor spaces, Space City demands a second look. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More What to Do in Montrose, Houston's Most Walkable Neighborhood A Stetson’s toss to the west of high-powered, high-cultured, high-heeled downtown Houston sits a neighborhood a world away from the fast-paced drama in America’s oil capital. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More The Good Place Urban parks are more important now than ever before. Three American cities - Philadelphia, Houston, and Los Angeles - feature rich green spaces, new and old, that provide history, community and sanity in the 21st Century. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More DuJour Cities: Houston Highlights include new restaurant openings and hotel openings and renovation news (i.e. Four Seasons Hotel Houston’s renovation, etc). Please click here (p. 126-127). Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More A Crawfish Feast Where the South Meets Southeast Asia Spring is turning into a comeback season at Crawfish & Noodles, a Houston restaurant famed for the Viet-Cajun style that has spread around the country. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More March 2021 Eat Your Way Around the World With These International Cookbooks Houston is one of the largest cities in the nation, but it’s also one of the country’s most diverse. In fact, one in four Houstonians are foreign born. So it should come as no surprise that the bustling city’s ever-evolving culinary scene reflects its multicultural influences. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More UH Coogs watch party Monday night at Avenida Houston You can join other Cougar fans at Avenida Houston in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center to cheer the team on in tonight’s game against the Oregon State Beavers. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Roar for the University of Houston Cougars at this free downtown Local fans can scream for the team at a free downtown watch party sponsored by Houston First. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Texas In-Person Events Slowly Returning To The ‘Lone Star State’ Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More 15 Amazing Resorts & Hotels That Welcome Pets From the Emerald City to the Sunshine State, we’ve rounded up the best family-friendly resorts in the US that welcome pets with open arms. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston Has a 'Record-Breaking' Stretch of In-Person Events Sche After a year mostly without in-person trade shows, Houston has reportedly re-booked 92% of canceled conventions for future years in Houston. Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More Cities Develop Branded Covid-19 Safety Measures To Boost Tourism Tourism demand remains somewhat dampened, but there are signs of life as travelers seek safe options, often outdoors, to travel again. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More How Houston is Preparing for a Busy Year of Meetings and Events Right from the beginning of the pandemic, Houston First was at the forefront in reacting to changing market conditions, government restrictions, and reluctance for people to travel. Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More Hotels with ties to women’s history Here are some of the hotels that have unique ties to women and celebrate their achievements. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Airbnb, Houston First Promote Bayou City as Travel Destination Home-sharing and short-term rental marketplace Airbnb has entered into a partnership with Houston First Corp. to market the Bayou City as a go-to destination for travelers looking to hit the road after being forced to remain home for nearly a year. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More New Hotel Coming to the Heart of the Texas Medical Center The debut U.S. property from Blossom Holding Group plans to open in May. Tags: Meetings and Events Read More Marketplace Events Gears Up To Launch New Home Shows In Houston Houston’s hospitality and tourism community sees far better times ahead. Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More How to Spend Easter in Houston "Houston is a city worth visiting any time of year, and although 2020 was a difficult year we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and Houston is ready to welcome visitors with a great variety of activities for everyone this Easter 2021." Tags: International Read More Convention Business in Houston Bouncing Back Strong for the Seco The city's convention center has more events on the books from July to December than it had for the same months in 2019. Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More Houston goes after the Mexican tourist with more flights The American city is targeting VFR and segments like luxury and conventions on hybrid format, for its promotion in Mexico, its main international market. Tags: International Read More Airbnb And Houston First Partner To Support Neighborhoods And To New campaign is a joint effort to encourage locals to safely explore Houston's neighborhoods and inspire future travel. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Historic Hotels Honor the International Women’s Day News Accommodations Historic Hotels Honor the International Women’s Day As part of Women’s History Month celebration, we look at the stories of women behind some of the world’s most iconic hotels Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More How Houston Is Preparing for a Busy Year of Meetings and Events There’s no doubt, as we reach 12 months of impact from Covid-19 in the U.S., the last year has been challenging for the tourism and events industries. Tags: Houston First Corporation , Meetings and Events Read More Frozen in Time A historic winter storm disrupted the entire city. Here’s how each industry tackled it. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More The Texas Hotel Industry Got A Boost From The Winter Storm The industry is still suffering from the pandemic, but saw increased occupancy levels as a result of last week’s freeze. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More February 2021 Spring Welcomes 69 Notable Hotel Openings Around The Globe This spring, dozens of hotels around the world will open their doors for the first time during the months of March, April and May. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Rothko Chapel, Secular Temple for Contemplation and Spirituality Interview by Warp Magazine Mexico reporter Kristina Velfu did with David Leslie, Executive Director of Rothko Chapel, in celebration of the Chapel's 50th Anniversary Tags: International Read More Don't Miss This Interesting Exhbit in Houston! At the Houston Museum of Natural Science, visitors will find a new exhibit called POMPEII: The Exhibition. Tags: International Read More Meet The Black Men Behind Texas' First Hemp-Based Vodka Sometimes your calling comes to you in a dream, but for some it comes by accident. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Zagat Conversations: ‘Being A Black Entrepreneur Is Like A Freed Highlights from a three-day Slack chat among Black chefs, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, and journalists. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston First Celebrates Black History Month with Events, Storie Houston First Corporation (HFC) is excited to share its Black History Month lineup for 2021 The public is invited to join as HFC celebrates Black History Month with a collection of events, stories and art. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More 25 Best College Towns So, okay, Houston isn’t exactly a town—in fact it’s one of the most populous cities in the United States—but there are a lot of colleges which are located in and around this huge city. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Houston tourism takes another blow as pandemic keeps conventions Houston’s convention and tourism business may be the greatest long-haul coronavirus victim. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More So Far in 2021: True Tales From Great Destinations Destination Inspiration: For everybody buried under the Nor’easter, here’s a heartwarming hello from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More 27 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month This February It’s Black History Month, and many organizations around town are celebrating with specially-curated events. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Houston First Celebrates Black History Month with Events, Storie Houston First Corporation (HFC) is excited to share its Black History Month lineup for 2021 The public is invited to join as HFC celebrates Black History Month with a collection of events, stories and art. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More January 2021 10 reasons to stay at Four Seasons Hotel Houston Diverse and fascinating, Houston is one of the most attractive and interesting cities in Texas, with so much to see and explore. However, a key aspect of enjoying the travel experience to the fullest is staying in a spectacular hotel. And of the many options available, one of our favorites ... Tags: International Read More After a 2020 filled with turmoil, optimism abounds in Houston 2021 is bringing cautious optimism to Visit Houston/Houston First Corporation. Tags: Meetings and Events Read More After Tough Year For Houston’s Convention Business, 2021 Is Look The coronavirus had not yet officially arrived in Houston when the first major convention was canceled. Tags: Houston First Corporation Read More Which Convention Centers Are Open? Here's a roundup of the largest convention facilities in the U.S. — whether they're open and what they've been doing behind the scenes to improve safety. Tags: Meetings and Events Read More Houston, United Airlines and HAS await you with open arms Houston, Texas.- Space city, shopping, culture and gastronomy destination. Is a metropolis that captivates all who visit, since its offerings are vast and provide a unique experience. Tags: International Read More 10 very good reasons to visit Houston Houston, Texas, is a city with so much to offer for all travelers, as it has everything from incredible shopping to culture, gastronomy, nature and entertainment. But, if you're not quite sure if it's a good option for you, here are ten excellent reasons to travel to Houston. Tags: International Read More A Family Road Trip Through Texas (and Down Memory Lane) A family-friendly guide to a three-day Texas road trip—plus, one writer reminisces on the Texan cities that nurtured her relationship. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More Roads Less Traveled Roads Less Traveled 8 underrated U.S. destinations that should be on your radar in 2021 Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More The Texas Traveler The late, great Anthony Bourdain dedicated a “Parts Unknown” episode to Houston in 2016, signifying that it had finally become a food destination. Tags: Domestic Leisure Read More NEWS Houston In the News Press Releases & Blogs Videos Community Impact & Outreach Cultural Heritage Awareness © 2021 Houston First Corporation - 701 Avenida de las Americas Houston, TX 77010 PRIVACY STATEMENT TERMS OF USE CAREERS