Description: Visit Garland launched a unified, digital-first campaign to attract and host the prestigious 2024 NXL Paintball Tournament at Audubon Park. The campaign harnessed strategic messaging across web, social media, and digital advertising to drive awareness and attendance. This effort not only elevated Garland as a sports tourism destination but also demonstrated strong economic impact through room pickup, visitation, and engagement.
Objectives: The 2024 NXL Paintball Tournament campaign was designed to establish Garland, Texas as a premier destination for high-impact sports tourism. Our goals were fourfold:
1. Attract elite competition by hosting a major stop in the National Xball League (NXL) season.
2. Drive hotel occupancy and local spending through strategic event marketing.
3. Boost destination visibility and engagement across digital platforms.
4. Ensure seamless community integration by promoting the event as free, family-friendly, and engaging.
Project Costs: This campaign featured a centralized landing page (VisitGarlandTX.com/nxl-paintball), coordinated social content, and email pushes to local partners. Over a 30-day span (April 1–May 1, 2024), the campaign generated:
23,387 impressions
549 total engagements
5,375 video views
22 post link clicks
Engagements included reactions, shares, and comments, with posts averaging a 2.3% engagement rate.
In partnership with NXL, Visit Garland promoted the event as a no-cost, high-energy experience: free parking, free entry, and vendor activations encouraged families and youth attendance. From April 25–28, Placer.ai metrics showed:
10.7K visits to Audubon Park with a 60-minute dwell time
Visitor volume up +860% YoY, underscoring the event’s draw
Diverse attendees, with 2.95 visits per person and regional reach beyond Garland
Hotel impact was significant. Over 1,632 rooms were picked up, with peak pickup of 475 rooms at an average daily rate of $125.59, exceeding projections (2,700 rooms requested, 1,515 contracted).
By seamlessly blending professional sport with local accessibility, the NXL Paintball Tournament campaign showcased Garland’s ability to host international-caliber events with local heart—reaching visitors, converting impressions, and filling rooms with measurable return on investment.
In-house or Agency: In-house