Courtney Sculley, Account Manager, Austin CVB; Amanda Garcia, Music Industry Manager, Austin CVB; Juan Forteza, VoX; Mrs. Glass; Rosalyn Hunter, VoX; Katie Cook - Interactive Manager, Austin CVB
Jazz Bistro
Mrs. Glass
Amanda Garcia & Courtney Sculley
What better venue than the cool and laid back rooftop patio of Jazz Bistro in downtown Toronto, to lounge, sip a cocktail, meet with members of the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau and chat about Texas’ most cool and laid back city.
The Austin CVB and musicians local to the state were in town recently in the final stretch of a month long “Summer of Love Tour” that visited New York, Woodstock and Niagara Falls with the goal of promoting Austin to leisure visitors and meeting professionals. The final stop in Toronto coincided with the annual North By Northeast (NXNE) music and arts festival where several Austin artists performed, including Mrs. Glass, who was on hand this evening to sing some soulful tunes.
In tow for the Tour was the Austin Airstream, a 30 ft. vintage refurbished 1970s trailer designed by local artisans, equipped with an onboard music studio and interview area. The Airstream also serves as a promotional vehicle, travelling to events across the continent, giving visitors a glimpse of Austin.
According to the latest statistics, approximately 491,000 Canadians visit Texas on a yearly basis, making Canada the 2nd largest source of international visitor arrivals. Ontario accounts for 1/2 the number followed by Alberta. It’s not unusual for Canadians to stay for up to a month or 2 in the winter, and so have affectionately become known by locals as “Winter Texans”.
Despite the attraction there still remains a misconception about Texas from those who haven’t been, explains Rosalyn Hunter, Director, Public Relations & Communications, VoX International which represents Texas here in Canada. “People think it’s just a place to go to see cowboys and dude ranches and that it’s the big state of dusty and dry, but it’s anything but that. It’s got rolling hills, mountains, lush greenery, lakes and rivers. There’s so much diversity.”
Austin in particular offers a unique vibe. “It’s a Capital city, but it’s a different type of capital city”, said Hunter. “When you get there you can check your suit and tie at the door, put on your Stetson and put on your boots. It’s got such a laid back hip feeling… everyone is welcome.”
Of course Austin would not be dubbed the Live Music Capital of the World® if not for the influence music has played in shaping the culture of the city. There are more than 250 live music outlets on any given night, according to Amanda Garcia, Music Industry Manager, Austin CVB, which is no doubt a huge draw for music lovers and visitors seeking great tunes and entertainment.
The Austin CVB, in partnership with Orbitz, will be giving away a trip to Austin for the 2014 Austin City Limits Music Festival taking place in October. The prize includes 2 weekend passes to the festival, a 2 night stay in downtown Austin and roundtrip flights for 2. Browse to www.Austintexas.org/ATXSelfie for further details.
