Galveston’s tourism industry is booming — and now, the island is giving locals fresh reasons to explore their backyard with free admission and special deals.
As people from all over the world visit Galveston, the city focuses on its people and tells them to take a break and enjoy the island like guests do.
Visit Galveston started a program called "Local Days" this week. These days, some of the island's best sites are free to enter or offer discounts. The goal is to remind locals of the great things outside their door.
The deal lasts until Saturday and allows people to enter the Moody Gardens Discovery Pyramid, the Galveston County Museum, and Ashton Villa's "And Still We Rise...Galveston's Juneteenth Story" display for free.
Residents of the Moody Mansion can trade in a receipt from any nearby store for free entry. This is meant to help both tourists and small shops.
Other places, like the Bryan Museum and the new Texas Surf Museum, have deals where you can buy one item and get another free. The Galveston Arts Center also offers member discounts on classes.
It's easy to forget how special this place is, said Caitlin Carnes, the public relations manager for Visit Galveston. She emphasized, "We want Galveston residents to remember what makes this island special, whether they were born or chose to live here."
Visit Galveston says that tourism brought in $1.3 billion for the city last year and supports one in three jobs. But Carnes said that even locals can get stuck in a pattern and forget about new places.
Galveston wants to boost local pride while maintaining its booming tourism industry. It does this through programs like Local Days and the Certified Tourism Ambassador project, which gives island residents training and perks for promoting the island.
"It's tiring to be a tourist every day," Carnes joked, "but once in a while it's fun to remember why so many people want to come to our home."
