Despite all the challenges of COVID-19, the hospitality industry in Dripping Springs is growing and thriving, and that is just one of the reasons why it was recognized last month as one of Texas’ outstanding rural and small-town destinations in 2021 by the Texas Travel Alliance.

The recognition was made at the Texas Travel Summit in September, the premier annual gathering of travel professionals from all sectors across Texas. The summit is put on by the Texas Travel Alliance, the primary advocate and voice for the Texas Travel Industry, representing a diverse membership of Texas travel destinations, accommodations, attractions, transportation, and support businesses.

“We were very proud to hear that we had been chosen by a group of peers from around the state for this small-town award. We work just as hard as the large cities for our community, just on a smaller scale. We think Dripping Springs is a fabulous place to visit,” remarked Pam Owens, President of the Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau.

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Not only is Dripping Springs booming with tourists, but it is also seeing a boom in new residents. In 2010, there were 1,788 people who called the city of Dripping Springs home. Now, the just-released 2020 Census data shows the population has more than doubled to 4,650.

“So we’re experiencing, and have been experiencing, exponential growth across the board,” explained Susan Kimball, who is the president of the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce. “So residential, you know, there are the families moving into the area and people moving into the area, our school district is increasing the population year over year, the student popul

ation, and we are building new schools and facilities.”