With an abundance of shops, restaurants, recreational activities, and nearby entertainment venues, Southlake is a year-round destination. But as the temperatures rise this summer, so do the promotional efforts to bring visitors to town and keep residents close to home.
The City of Southlake’s Economic Development and Tourism Department is leading the charge with its recently redesigned website, www.visitsouthlaketexas.com, which is intended to entice and educate tourists to the City, as well as City residents. Featuring an online calendar of events, shopping and dining directory, and the latest news from local businesses, Visit Southlake Texas is the City’s top tourism marketing tool. The website is supplemented by a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/visitsouthlaketexas, and a Twitter account dedicated to promoting special events, @StarsStripes12.
According to Jill Lind, Southlake’s tourism and marketing manager, a live video feed of Southlake Town Square was added to the Visit Southlake Texas website right before the City’s annual July 4 celebration, Stars & Stripes.
“A video camera was mounted on Southlake Town Hall and streams live footage of Rustin Park Pavilion onto the Visit Southlake Texas website. Now, people will be able see what is going on in Town Square 24/7,” said Lind.
Another important aspect of Lind’s job is to promote the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square, which is the first and only hotel within the city and contributes a seven percent hotel occupancy tax to the tourism budget.
The Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square is offering several packages to lure vacationers to the city this summer:
Mike Hutchison, general manager of the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square, announced the hotel is preparing to launch a new website to increase its visibility and bring more people to the property.
“One of our greatest advantages is being located near DFW International Airport and in Southlake Town Square. From here, guests can easily get to Fort Worth or Dallas, or stay right here in Southlake without the need for a car,” explained Hutchison, noting the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square was just awarded the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor for outstanding guest reviews. “Our new website will not only better showcase the property, but will include a section for area attractions and local events.”
Another big attraction in Southlake Town Square is Harkins Theater, which kicked-off its “Summer Movie Fun” program June 4 and continues through August 10. Kids can enjoy a movie a week for 10 weeks, for less than $1 per film. This summer line-up includes Happy Feet Two, Kung Fu Panda Two, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins.
Karla Chase, marketing manager for Southlake Town Square, is working with many stores, restaurants and businesses to host Fashion’s Night Out September 6, which is part of a national program to support local retailers. This year’s event in Southlake will include a runway fashion show, in-store special events, celebrity appearances, limited edition products, and complimentary food and beverage.
There are also many reasons to visit Southlake outside of Town Square, including several new dining establishments under construction:
The temperatures may be hot, but there are plenty of options to stay cool in Southlake this summer!