7 Surprising Ways Tourism in Your City Affects Your Home Life

, Mar 2, 2022

A local merchant smiles as they accept payment from a customer.

Living in a touristy city has its perks and downsides. Thousands of people come in and go every other day, and things always seem to be changing.

Take Austin, Texas for example. In 2019 alone, tourism brought in $169.8 billion to the area, and with that money comes change. This money goes towards supporting local businesses, the community at large, and providing more amenities to draw in future tourists.

In downtown Austin, you can visit a host of jazz clubs with great music. There are fantastic BBQ joints where you can gorge your brisket cravings to your heart’s content. In Central Austin, you can see the central business district, Lake Austin, and local jogging trails — all within are a five-minute drive of one another.  Southwest Austin also provides plenty of outdoor amenities to enjoy as well, including plenty of parks, greenbelts, and botanical gardens.

This tourism is an endless cycle. The more people that visit the area because of these amenities, the more people buy property in the area — thus stimulating the economy and prompting more business to spring up out of the woodwork.

1.  Cultural Diversity

One thing about touristy cities is that they attract people from all over the country. Some come to visit for a short while then return to their homes, while others make it their permanent home. Nonetheless, the effect on the local population is profound as the influence from other cultures and people helps them have a broader view of the world.

This exposure can expose you to different facets of culture — whether that be through food, holiday celebrations, or just general population diversity. Thanks to the cultural diversity that tourism brings, you can explore different areas of the country within a block of a city.

2.  Infrastructure Upgrades

Tourists like to visit places with infrastructure and amenities they can conveniently access. Therefore, local governments trying to attract tourists into their region deliberately develop world-class infrastructure to look attractive. They often have better roads, trains or trams, parks, and policing systems.

Because the local governments are also highly incentivized to keep the infrastructure running at top-notch levels, you will find regular maintenance and upgrading happens more often in comparison to low tourism regions.

3.  Better Business Opportunities

Local supporting industries gain a boost from the influx of tourists into the area; whether that be hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and general stores. The local government also benefits from the extra income tourism brings in and, in turn, supports its local industries in ways non-touristy areas wouldn’t.

A city like Austin is already poised to be a conducive environment for entrepreneurs, and the flow of tourists only adds to its business viability.

4.  Increased Property Values

Good infrastructure, amenities, security, and a thriving local economy make touristy areas excellent for development. If you’re thinking of owning an investment property or building a vacation home, a touristy area will get you the most bang for your money if you ever decide to sell in the future. Suburbs around big cities like Austin also have a high resale value due to their attractiveness to families.

Austin enjoys a healthy property value thanks to its strategic location within Texas’s capital and its easy walkability. It also enjoys a good online presence from bloggers and social media influencers who reside in Austin and come to visit its attractions.

5.  Enhanced Social Scene

Tourists create demand for fun things to do in a destination. Naturally, local businesses fill this role which not only benefits the tourists but also the residents of the areas. Moving to or near a tourist area will give you access to better social amenities and an active entertainment scene.

If you love music, food, art, or other social and cultural activities, the diversity in a touristy area will be good for you.

6.  More Pet-Friendly Businesses

If you have a pet, choosing an area where your pet is also welcome is essential. Because touristy regions are trying to encourage visitors to be comfortable in their business, they often have pet-friendly policies. Your pet will also enjoy the same benefits and have more options for services that cater to pets.

7.  Access to Attractions

High tourism areas typically have high walkability and accessibility ratings since some tourists may not be able to afford to buy a rental car or hire a taxi everywhere they go. They also encourage tourists to spend more money and visit more attractions that are within reach.

This proximity and accessibility stimulate future tourism, and they also benefit residents. Most residents can save money on transportation thanks to walkability amenities.

Moving to or investing in a touristy city comes with many unique benefits that improve the quality of life for people living there. Austin, Texas, has set itself apart as a premier city to invest in the real estate scene because of its strategic positioning and the tourism industry.

About the Author

Last updated: 03/08/2022

2300+ Client reviews!

I had the pleasure of working with Vicki Duran and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, Vicki demonstrated deep knowledge of the market and a genuine commitment to understanding my needs. Her communication was exceptional – always prompt, clear, and informative. Throughout the process, Vicki went above and beyond, negotiating on my behalf, explaining the process/each step along the way, and ensuring every detail was taken care of. Her professionalism, dedication, and personalized approach was exceptional. She truly cared and I felt like I was working with a close family friend (having never met her before the process began). I can’t emphasis enough how seamless she made the process for me. People have the perception that buying a house is an extremely stressful process. My experience could not have been farther from the truth. I joked with her at times how smooth/easy buying a house was, all because of Vicki!

I could not have asked for a better agent. I’ve already referred a few friends to Vicki and will continue to do so in the future. Thanks again, Vicki!

Blessed to have connected with Kristen! I can’t say enough great things about Kristen. Her professionalism, market knowledge, and communication were beyond compare. She was incredibly patient throughout our home search. We looked at a countless amount of homes (we are very picky), and never once felt she was trying to push us in to something that wasn’t the right fit for the sake of a sale. We always felt she had our best interest in mind. Couldn’t recommend her more!!!

Sally was referred to me via a business network when I first moved to Austin in 2022. She helped me understand the area, evaluate my options, and find the perfect spot in a tough market. Sally has been a joy to work with because she creates partnerships + friendships with her clients!

I was impressed by Sally’s expertise in selling both my investment property and my primary residence, and in helping us buy our dream home. At our initial meeting, we found Sally knew the real estate market, but found even more impressive her emotional quotient in understanding and navigating the differences between my partner’s and my very different personalities. For my investment property, she timed the showings and sale perfectly and created a helpful Excel spreadsheet comparing the many offers. She was also savvy enough to suggest we pay the tenants a fair amount of money to make the property available for viewing from 9am – 5pm on the first weekend to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to get through, and we let her deal directly with the tenants because we could tell her people skills would serve us well

We got multiple offers by the deadline on Monday afternoon with one outlier that was $150K higher than what we had unsuccessfully listed the property for (with a different realtor) a year earlier!

When it came to selling my primary home, Sally’s expertise in the luxury market, and in historic homes in particular, truly shone. She understood that selling a high-end property, with various restrictions, required a different approach. Sally crafted a listing for the home that perfectly captured its unique character and premier location. Her marketing strategy was well timed and appropriate for the more limited market, attracting the right buyer pool and creating a sense of exclusivity around the property. She suggested listing it on the private market for a week or two before sending a message that it would be listed on the MLS. She organized private showings that allowed buyers to experience the warmth and charm of the home and the neighborhood, which I believe was instrumental in securing a sale.

The pricing and marketing strategy Sally recommended was spot-on, and we sold the home at a price that far exceeded our expectations. Sally helped thread the needle perfectly.

Sally is also accessible. We found more well-known realtors would respond to our email days later, whereas she was always available right away to answer my questions, and provided us with regular updates, making sure every detail was handled with care. Selling a high-end property can be a stressful experience with fewer potential buyers and some downtime inherent in waiting for the right buyer, but Sally made it a smooth and surprisingly easy process encouraging us to be patient while giving us enough information on what was happening to satisfy both me and my partner. In the end, we were thrilled with the results

Sally’s rep of us as sellers could not have been more professional, but her work repping us as buyers is the most memorable. We were trying to be our dream home in an overheated market, and Sally gave us advice that at each turn proved invaluable. She recommended offering just the right amount above the offer price for us to make it to the next round of offers. She handled a very difficult appraisal process by advising us on financing sources, even offering to help us put down a higher amount by loaning us money herself! We were able to finance the home without taking her up on that offer, but how many realtors make that kind of offer to their clients? In the end, we closed on the house ontime and ended up with the home of our dreams, thanks to Sally’s world-class advice and service.

We cannot say enough good things about Sally’s technical knowledge, people skills, and responsiveness. You won’t find a better realtor in Austin.

I have lived here in Austin for more twenty-five years, and have bought and sold several homes and rented others during those years. I have worked with five realtors during that time. SALLY IS BY FAR THE BEST OF ANY IN TOWN. Her work ethic is simply unmatched. She hides her competitive streak underneath a layer of Austin hip and friendly, but she will absolutely get you the best home, the best deal, and stop at NOTHING to get your home sold as well!

Sally loves real estate. She has a genuine passion for Austin, too, and for her client’s well-being. She took time to understand my needs and was always available to answer any questions and provide me with honest and insightful advice.

We toured many homes in Barton Hills and settled on a great home that was hotly contested by builders and homeowners. Sally understood how we could be the preferred buyer without getting into a bidding war. She knew the motivations of the Seller and we maneuvered and negotiated the contract and secured my dream home.

Furthermore, at the 11th hour, the day before we were set to close, our lender said we needed to put a fence around the pool before they would release the funds. The seller was not inclined to extend the closing again. We were out of town. Sally saved the day by racing to Home Depot and getting the largest tarpaulin available and then securing it over the pool at the house. Sent pics to the lender and we were set to close.

In short, Sally will work harder and smarter than anyone. She’s simply the best.

Sally is incredible! She spent nearly 2 years with us – understanding our very specific preferences and needs – to help us find our dream home. She was the first agent to reach out when the home was listed and negotiated the contract astutely so that we secured the home. The home was only in the framed stage, still had a few months until completion. Once it was completed, however, our plans had changed and we needed to get out of the contract. We were expecting to have to relinquish our very considerable deposit. But Sally spent the entire weekend working on a way to get us out of the contract AND get our deposit back. Everyone we have spoken to about this extraordinary outcome has been surprised that Sally managed to get our deposit back for us. Thank you Sally, we can’t recommend her highly enough.

Sally is reliable, diligent in her research, prompt on exchanges, creative in deal making, and has a tremendous work ethic. She is the sole reason we were able to close on our primary residence, which has been our dream home and a fantastic investment. From there, we’ve gone on to close on multiple rental property purchases in Austin together. Thanks to her astute analysis, we’ve passed on many deals as well, which has proven just as valuable. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

I highly recommend Kiel if you’re looking to rent a place in Austin. We originally met him to look around a particular unit, and when it was not to our satisfaction, he was able to quickly take us around many more units that day. He also set up a whole day of viewings for the very next day! Within 48 hours we had done enough viewings to be confident in choosing a new home. The landlord accepted our offer and Kiel handled all of the paperwork, even stopping by our hotel to pick up the needed checks. We couldn’t be happier.
Kiel is highly organized and unlike some realtors in the Austin area, he is responsive and ready to move quickly. We were always able to contact him and never left waiting.

Kiel has your BACK!! We are so grateful to have had his guidance and knowledge while navigating the intense, frustrating and way competitive Austin rental market. He quickly picked up on our taste and designed a game plan to help us push through the clutter and get to the properties that best suited us. He was ALWAYS available to us and answered our emails, calls and texts with great speed. We’re so grateful to have had him on our search team. Because my goodness, it really is a crazy market out there!

Kiel was amazing to work with! He walked us through everything, explained anything we didn’t understand, and he is is just a great guy to work with. As a first time home buyer, his knowledge was invaluable. 10/10 would recommend!

Kiel was referred to me by a friend, and we were so pleased with his services. He jumped in and guided us through the entire process, made himself readily available for us during the whole process, checked in with us via text every step of the way, and provided any and all information we requested. As a first time home buyer, I was not totally familiar with the process. Kiel helped me through the lending process, walk through inspection and closing procedures. It was such a pleasure to work with him, and we look forward to hiring him again when we purchase our next property.

I’ve never met anyone as knowledgeable and hard working as Kiel. Everything he said he was going to do, he did it. Kiel is a very easy person to get along with. He made us comfortable with the process and also made it fun. In 5 words…HE GETS THE JOB DONE!

Click Here to Read All Reviews