Thursday morning, Mayor Jerry Don Vaught signed the proclamation declaring Tourism Week May 3-11. The travel industry is one of Texas’ largest industries with visitor spending generating $65 billion and directly supporting 568,000 jobs with earnings of $18.9 billion. Henderson County generated $125.5 million in visitor spending and supported 500 jobs with earnings of $19.5 million. National Tourism Week is annually recognized the first full week in May, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. Pictured from left to right are Pam Burton, City Administrator; Sherri Skeeters, Tourism Coordinator, showing the two-page ad promoting Athens that is in this month’s issue of Texas Monthly; Mayor Jerry Don Vaught; and Lisa Fields, General Manager at Best Western Plus Royal Mountain Inn & Suites.