Houston First

The Houston metro had 3.49 million jobs as of the end of April, an increase of less than half a percent compared with a year earlier. The leisure and hospitality sector added just a few thousand jobs in the last year for a total of 370,600, again a less than half-percent increase year over year. Leisure and hospitality represents 10.7% of the total regional workforce.

The first phase of a major improvement project along the historic Columbia Tap Trail is underway. The Greater Southeast Management District and the East Downtown Management District this week announced the start of the $7.5 million project that includes the installation of over 300 solar-powered lights along the 4-mile trail that runs through neighborhoods east of I-69 and Highway 288.

FreeRange Concepts and Houston First to bring a beloved restaurant, live music venue and community gathering place back to the heart of downtown early next year HOUSTON (May 27, 2026) – Construction has begun on the new Downtown Houston location of The Rustic, a restaurant, bar, and live music venue from FreeRange Concepts that has been a gathering spot for Houstonians and visitors since it first opened its doors downtown in 2018.

Houston hotels ended April up almost 4% in revenue compared to 2025. Though occupancy showed a slight downtick at 62%, declines were due to supply increases in the market, as demand was up 1%. ADR drove gains, reaching $129, up 3% YOY and supporting a 3-point lift in RevPAR to $80. Year to date, the market is up almost 7% in revenue, thanks to a 2.4% lift in demand and a 4.4% increase in ADR to $131. Occupancy sits at 62%, up almost 2%, while RevPAR has increased by 6% to $82.

As Houston counts down to the World Cup, the data below highlights key World Cup pacing metrics for the hospitality industry. This information is current as of May 14. As the booking window to World Cup matches gets closer, it is important to note that YOY percent changes in booking pace are expected to decrease compared to previously reported figures. However, when looking at booking growth over time, rooms booked has grown by 14% in June and 5% in July, compared to one month prior.

As Houston continues to welcome new hotels and mixed-use projects, PA Hospitality has broken ground on its 152-room AC Hotel by Marriott CityCentre Houston. The new lifestyle hotel will be Houston’s first ground-up AC Hotel by Marriott development and will include European-inspired design, elevated service and carefully curated amenities, according to a PA Hospitality press release.

Combination of conventions, major events, and leisure travel led to robust demand HOUSTON (May 14, 2026) – The first quarter of 2026 broke records for the highest demand, average daily rate, and revenue in the Houston hotel market, positioning the region’s hospitality industry for continued momentum through the remainder of the year. The three months that ended March 31 represented the best first quarter on record for the Houston market by multiple metrics.

Houston continues to position itself as one of the most connected international gateways in the United States. Earlier this month, the first-ever nonstop flight between George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Rome Fiumicino landed in Houston. As of now, Italian-based carrier ITA Airways is operating nonstop flights between the two cities three times a week and will increase that frequency to five flights weekly on June 1.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, original founding-era documents arrived in Houston this week aboard the Boeing 737 “Freedom Plane” and were welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute. The “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation” traveling exhibition will be displayed at major museums across the nation, including the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS), for the first time in history.

As Houston counts down to the World Cup, the data below highlights key World Cup pacing metrics for the hospitality industry. This information is current as of April 28. As the booking window to World Cup matches gets closer, it is important to note that YOY percent changes in booking pace are expected to decrease compared to previously reported figures. Though demand has fluctuated, YOY increases in ADR, or average daily rate, for the overall market is anticipated to drive revenue growth.