Four Reasons to Meet in El Paso, Texas
No matter your budget or the size of your group, you’ll find the perfect place to host your next meeting, incentive trip, conference or event in El Paso, Texas. To help you discover everything the city has to offer, we host familiarization, or FAM, trips throughout the year. Whether you’re planning a first-class competition or a major convention, our team is ready to show you how anything is possible in El Paso. Here are four reasons to sign up for a tour today.
Meetings and Events for Any Budget
Your list of requirements is long, but your budget is tight. This won’t prevent your group from having an amazing time in El Paso. We offer special incentives for meeting planners and groups big cities can’t match. Meetings & Conventions magazine ranked El Paso as No. 2 on its list of top destinations for meetings and conferences. The magazine’s highly respected list is based on qualities like the number of hotels, entertainment options and—of course—affordability.
Here, the VIP treatment comes at a high-value price. We can arrange a mariachi band to greet your guests at the airport or we can schedule a behind-the-scenes-tour of one of the few Triple-A baseball clubs in the country—all without breaking the bank.
Come see why El Paso outranked destinations like Las Vegas, New York City and Austin on the Meetings & Conventions list. It won’t take long for you to see how the sunny Southwest offers more bang for your buck than other major destinations.
Growth Spurt
Downtown El Paso is on the rise. With more than $500 million worth of revitalization projects happening in the urban core, El Paso is experiencing an unprecedented boom of growth and development.
During your FAM trip, we’ll give you exclusive access to new sites like the Westside Natatorium, which has an Olympic-size pool and expansive event spaces, and the recently renovated San Jacinto Plaza. We’ll also introduce you to the staff at new hotels like the Aloft, Hotel Indigo and Courtyard and our newly renovated and historic properties Hotel Paso Del Norte and the Plaza Hotel at Pioneer Park. The renovation at Hotel Paso del Norte included a $100 million renovation, now part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. Completed in October of 2020, this historic, 17-story, 300-room hotel features 33,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, a trendy rooftop bar, a luxurious ballroom, and a preserved Tiffany-style stained-glass dome. The Plaza Hotel, the very first high-rise Hilton hotel, underwent a $78 million renovation and opened in June 2020. It boasts 131-room luxury boutique rooms with a 540-spot parking garage, amazing views of historic San Jacinto Plaza and the downtown skyline. This property includes an outdoor terrace perfect for happy hour or any special occasion as well as a high-end restaurant that features one of the largest tequila collections in the world. When your guests stay at one of these hotels they will feel like royalty. Your tour will also include stops at El Paso’s new urban parks, public art exhibits and the El Paso Museum of History’s 3-D Digital Wall. This new interactive exhibit features 3D videos and photos of the cultures and people who have shaped El Paso into the city it is today.
In addition to the new hotels, we’re also building new places for your guests to meet and mingle, including the The Mexican American Cultural Center, a dynamic space for the creation, exhibition and celebration of Mexican American art and culture. By 2020, the city was home to more than 10,000 hotel rooms, ground was broken on the new children’s museum and we added several new sports venues. Most of these sites—as well as an abundance of restaurants, bars, and sports and entertainment venues—are located within walking distance of El Paso Convention Center. And your attendees can hop aboard the El Paso Streetcar to reach their destinations. After the $97 million renovations, the streetcar is ready to transport your guests to events in style and comfort.
Adventure at Your Fingertips
Arranging site visits to El Paso is easy. El Paso International Airport is served by major airlines, including Southwest Airlines, which operates more than 21 nonstop flights each day. Other carriers include Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines . Best of all, the airport is located within a few miles of downtown.
But as easy as it is to get into downtown El Paso, it’s just as easy to get out. After all, with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, your guests deserve to enjoy our great outdoors. During your FAM tour, you’ll get the chance to explore sites like Franklin Mountains State Park, the largest state park in an urban setting. Home to the Franklin Mountains, this state park offers an abundance of opportunities for excursions and activities.
Other attractions your guests can enjoy within a short drive of downtown El Paso are the El Paso Zoo and Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site, just to name a few. In between events and meals, let us treat you and your guests to wine and tequila tastings, mission tours, restaurants and shopping excursions.
Culture, Heritage and Hospitality
As much as you and your attendees will enjoy the sights and attractions, hotels and venues, everyone will also love the dynamic culture. Our desert city has attracted everyone from Spanish explorers to Pancho Villa to cowboys and cowgirls. Today, visitors will find a thriving community of ranchers, crafters and entrepreneurs who draw from the city’s rich past to shape its exciting future.
Here, El Paso pride runs deep. But our commitment to camaraderie and hospitality runs even deeper. Whether you’re chatting with local chefs or meeting the ushers at the historic Plaza Theatre, you’ll be greeted with warmth and friendliness.
From the first site visit to the closing-night event, you and your guests will feel like you’re a part of the El Paso community. Call us today to arrange your FAM trip. We can’t wait to show you what makes our little big city so unique.