Larry Woods Receives 2025 Marion Szurek Leadership Award for Transformative Impact on Texas Tourism
Larry Woods, Director of Visit Boerne, has been honored with the 2025 Marion Szurek Leadership Award for his 56-year career shaping Texas tourism through strategic vision, mentorship, and advocacy that has elevated local economies and industry standards statewide.
The Marion Szurek Leadership Award, presented annually at the Destinations Texas Annual Conference, recognizes tourism professionals whose vision, innovation, and decades of service have significantly strengthened the Texas tourism industry while mentoring future leaders. The 2025 recipient, Larry Woods, Director of Visit Boerne, exemplifies these qualities through his extraordinary 56-year career impacting local, regional, and statewide tourism development.
Under Woods' leadership, Boerne has been transformed into a sought-after destination branded as an Elevated Hill Country Experience, achieving historic hotel occupancy and revenue milestones while consistently exceeding marketing goals. His strategic vision and ability to inspire high team performance have driven these results, demonstrating effective destination management that benefits local economies.
Woods' influence extends beyond Boerne through his longstanding involvement with Destinations Texas (formerly Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus), where he served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman in 2023-2024. His leadership has been instrumental in growing memberships, streamlining operations, and ensuring the organization remains inclusive and valuable to CVBs and DMOs of all sizes. His advocacy for tourism-supportive legislation has educated city leaders about the industry's substantial economic contributions to Texas communities.
Mentorship represents one of Woods' most significant legacies, as he has generously shared his expertise with small and mid-sized DMOs across Texas. His mentorship programs in Boerne cover strategic planning, advertising, budgeting, analytics, governance, and best practices for destination growth, resulting in numerous cities benefiting from his guidance. Within the industry, he is widely recognized as the go-to resource for advice and encouragement.
Woods has also provided long-standing support to the Texas Travel Alliance, serving two terms on its Board of Directors, leading conference sessions, participating in panel discussions, and promoting TTA's Tourism College and mentorship programs. His leadership proved particularly vital during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when his steady guidance and business acumen helped sustain Boerne's tourism economy through adaptation, stakeholder reassurance, and recovery planning.
The award recognition underscores the importance of experienced leadership in destination marketing and management, particularly as the tourism industry continues to evolve and face new challenges. Woods' career demonstrates how strategic vision combined with mentorship and advocacy can create lasting economic impact and strengthen industry resilience across multiple communities.