Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees

The past two weeks have been stressful for Galveston residents. In the wake of #HurricaneBeryl, there was much discussion about the 'right time' to welcome guests back to the island-- as visitors are critical to sustaining local business. Read more on the subject from our CEO Kimberly Danesi below. ** It’s tough to balance the needs of a community with the needs of a tourism destination. While those needs are not completely mutually exclusive, they do vary. As the entity charged with directing tourism efforts and keeping the beaches clean and safe, the Park Board makes it our goal to prioritize residents in times of need while completing its mission. After the recent storm, residents who own and work in the local tourism field sought our help. Hurricane Beryl swept across Galveston Island July 8. It left in its wake thousands of islanders without power and many with damaged property. Many businesses suffered, too. And part of the suffering was lack of patrons and the subsequent lack of revenue. The peak summer tourism season lasts about 14 weeks, so every week counts. As soon it became clear that Galveston shops, restaurants and attractions were back online, the Park Board’s communications team went to work helping to spread the word and encourage visitors and residents – those who were ready and able – to help support local businesses. The sales team made calls twice a day checking on the status of hotels and condos. The marketing and social media team’s messaging aimed to put a human face on local businesses. After all, many island business owners live here and their staff also live here. They are invested in our community, so we wanted to be sure to highlight their work and encourage people to support them. The public relations team distributed factual information to regional news outlets about the status of beaches, restaurants, attractions, cruising and more. Several news organizations came to the island and conducted interviews about Galveston’s being open for business. The communications team also made regular updates to the Visit Galveston website informing visitors about businesses as they returned. Of course, the Park Board also worked closely with the City of Galveston in its messaging. Both entities shared regular updates about safety and beach access. Galveston Island’s tourism industry is one of its key economic drivers. It supports one out of three jobs on the island and, last year, visitor spending totaled $1.3 billion... To read the full story and support The Galveston County Daily News, visit https://bit.ly/3Skf5gR.

Join Us this Friday for Women in Coastal Science! 🌊 📅 Date: Friday, July 26 📍 Location: East Beach Pavilion 🕤 Time: 9:30 AM - Coffee and Networking 🕙 10 AM - Guest Speaker: Dr. Anna Weiss, Director of Green Galveston Initiatives at Vision Galveston. Dr. Weiss, a coastal scientist with a rich background in climate resilience and community-driven sustainability, will share her insights and experiences. 🌿 About Women in Coastal Science: Hosted by the Galveston Park Board, this series showcases women scientists addressing coastal environmental challenges. Don't miss out! #WomenInScience #GalvestonEvents #CoastalScience

Think you know Bryson? Think again! ✨ 😉 Check out this special feature on our very own Chief Financial Officer Bryson Frazier. Congratulations again on your 40 under 40 honor. 🎉 https://lnkd.in/eyuc82SZ

We seated a new trustee today! 🤩 Carlos Guerra was officially sworn in and seated at a special meeting today. Carlos has been a long-time volunteer with the Park Board, and we are excited to have him at the trustee table. What a great way to end the week. See you all again at the regular meeting on Tuesday. ✨

Kindness is a superpower! 🏝️💙🤟 Thank you to the linemen, first responders, locals, and all the businesses on Galveston Island for all that you do. #LoveGalveston

Team Spotlight: Beach Park Staff 🤩😎 The wonderful staff at East Beach and Stewart Beach have been working tirelessly all week long to get our parks clean and amenities back up and running. Throughout the season, this team works to bring our visitors the best beach experience possible through park maintenance, cleanliness and exceptional guest service. Thank you, guys! #LoveGalveston #GalvestonStrong #TeamSpotlight

Our beaches are clean and ready for you, thanks to our incredible Coastal Zone Management (CZM) team! 🏖️🪣 They worked tirelessly, even in the dark hours, to clear debris from the beachfront after the storm. Even on a regular day, the Texas coast sees more marine debris from upriver than any other state in the Gulf, but you wouldn’t know it because the CZM team cleans the beach before most people are even awake. We are so grateful for their hard work and dedication, ensuring we have a clean coastline to enjoy while we all recover and pick up the rest of the island. 💙 #GalvestonStrong #ByeByeBeryl #LoveGalveston

Our Visit Galveston team is working diligently with community partners to collect information on open businesses in Galveston. 🛍️ For the latest updates, go to https://lnkd.in/eQ5-4fH5. Our team members are still checking in with partners, hotels, and businesses to ensure we have the most accurate and up-to-date information. Most hotels are open, and most downtown businesses are operational. Some businesses do have staffing shortages due to power loss still at many Galveston homes, so please be kind! #GalvestonStrong #LoveGalveston #ByeByeBeryl

🌟 Team Spotlight: Visitor Information Center 🌟 We want to shine a light on our incredible Visitor Information Center (VIC) team, who have gone above and beyond this week! We received the nicest feedback from a visiting couple from Jeanerette, LA. They made a point of reaching out to share the wonderful and compassionate experience they had with Casey (pictured right) over the last two days. Struggling to contact their hotel and needing guidance, Casey assisted them and found a room amidst the chaos from the storm. The couple was so grateful and had the most wonderful things to say about an experience that could have gone in a completely different direction. Casey’s dedication turned their stressful situation into a positive experience. 💙 Our entire VIC team has stepped up, fielding a ton of calls of ALL kinds this week, always answering each call with a smile and positive outlook. Casey, Leslie, Martha, and Deneene have all been SUPERSTARS! 🌟 Thank you, VIC team, for your outstanding dedication and hard work! #TeamSpotlight #CustomerServiceExcellence #GalvestonStrong #LoveGalveston

Team spotlight on Beach Patrol! 🤩🔦 We are incredibly proud of our Galveston Island Beach Patrol team! They have worked countless hours preparing for the storm and aiding in recovery efforts. As of July 10, all patrol towers are back on the sand, and they will be working hard to replace all damaged safety signage through this weekend. All year round, this dedicated team works tirelessly to keep beachgoers safe and even save lives. They consistently go above and beyond to ensure our beaches are safe and enjoyable for everyone. Let's give a huge thank you to our Beach Patrol team for their hard work and dedication! 💙 #TeamSpotlight #BeachSafety #GalvestonStrong #LoveGalveston