Only about 30% of the domestic visitors to Houston in the first half of this year were repeat visitors, a marked decline from the same period a year ago and an indication that new travelers are being exposed to the Bayou City.

About 60% of all U.S. travelers to Houston in the first half of 2022 were repeat visitors, roughly twice as many as this year, according to survey data from Near and the U.S. Census Bureau. As more people resumed traveling in 2023—many for conferences and business trips that were just starting to relaunch last year—different traveler segments are being exposed to new cities.

Most of the top origin markets for travelers to Houston in the first half of 2023 were elsewhere in Texas, including Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Beaumont, College Station and Corpus Christi. New Orleans was also among the leading origin markets for visitors.

So where did people visit while in Houston? The data from Near shows some of the top destinations included the Upper Kirby/Greenway Plaza district, Galleria/Uptown, Midtown, Houston Museum District and Washington Avenue Corridor, among others.

The vast majority of travelers to the city—nearly 75%--stayed overnight in Houston. That’s roughly the same figure that stayed overnight in the first six months of 2022.