Booming tourism driving revenue, jobs in Round Rock

ROUND ROCK – The amount of direct travel spending in Round Rock topped out at $285.6 million in 2013, according to information compiled by Dean Runyan and Associates for the Economic Development and Tourism division in the Office of the Governor.

The city was on a steady incline between 2002 and 2008 until the recession hit and travel spending dropped by 15.3 percent. The city’s amount of direct travel spending represented a 7.5 percent growth from 2012 — twice the state average.

Tourism supported 2,964 jobs, an increase of 6.7 percent compared to 2012. Round Rock also sold 677,630 hotel rooms in 2013, an 8.9 percent increase from 2012.