Visit Boerne Director Larry Woods Retires After 50+ Years Shaping Texas Tourism

After more than 50 years in the hospitality and tourism industry, including 17 years as Director of Visit Boerne, Larry Woods announced his retirement, leaving behind a legacy of mentorship, leadership, and statewide impact that has shaped destination marketing across Texas. A respected leader among his peers, Woods began his career at age 13 on the San Antonio River Walk and went on to hold executive leadership roles with major hospitality brands including La Mansion Hotels, Hershey, Sheraton, Marriott, and Radisson. Known for his strategic expertise and ability to guide organizations through growth and transition, he built a reputation as a results-driven leader long before entering the destination marketing arena.

Since joining Visit Boerne, Woods has transformed the organization into a model for small- and mid-sized destination marketing organizations (DMOs). Under his leadership, Boerne surpassed the $1 million mark in annual Hotel Occupancy Tax collections for the first time in its history. Even during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Visit Boerne remained fully operational, and the city’s hotel sector demonstrated resilience under his steady guidance. Beyond local success, Woods’ influence has extended across the State of Texas. His commitment to excellence and mentorship was formally recognized by Destinations Texas (formerly TACVB) through the prestigious Marion Szurek Leadership Award in 2025, honoring his exceptional leadership, ethical standards, and dedication to advancing the tourism industry statewide.

In addition, he was honored in 2021 with the Texas Travel Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his decades of service and impact, and in 2018 was recognized by State Representative Kyle Biedermann for 50 years of commitment to the hospitality and tourism industry. A former Chairman of the TACVB Board of Directors (now Destinations Texas), Woods has been a strong advocate for professional development, strategic planning, and legislative awareness within the tourism industry. He has consistently championed education and collaboration as the foundation for sustainable destination growth.

Over the past several years, Woods has personally mentored leaders from more than 17 Texas cities, hosting hands-on training sessions focused on strategic planning, fair market share analysis, marketing implementation, budget development, Hotel Occupancy Tax processes, analytics acquisition, and effective presentations to city leadership. His willingness to share knowledge openly has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor and generous industry partner—particularly to small and emerging DMOs. "It has been the honor of my life to serve the tourism industry and to work alongside so many dedicated professionals across Texas," said Woods. "The future of our industry is bright because of the collaboration, innovation, and resilience I see in destination leaders every day."

Throughout his tenure, Woods has remained committed to elevating industry standards, embracing data-driven strategy, and empowering the next generation of tourism professionals. His leadership philosophy—grounded in integrity, mentorship, and forward-thinking strategy—has left an indelible mark on Visit Boerne and the broader Texas tourism community. The retirement of such an influential figure raises questions about succession planning and the continuation of his mentorship programs that have benefited numerous Texas destinations. His departure creates a significant leadership gap in Texas tourism circles, particularly for smaller communities that relied on his guidance.

The timing of this transition comes as Texas tourism continues to recover from pandemic impacts and faces evolving challenges in destination marketing. Woods' emphasis on data-driven approaches and legislative awareness has become increasingly crucial as DMOs navigate changing traveler behaviors and economic pressures. His work establishing Visit Boerne as a model organization provides a blueprint for other communities, but replicating his personal mentorship network and statewide influence presents a substantial challenge for the industry. The retirement highlights the importance of institutional knowledge transfer and the need for structured mentorship programs to sustain the professional development culture Woods championed throughout his career.