{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Ep.#39 - New Beginnings In The Texas Hill Country W\/ Executive Director Kristi Gerdes","description":"Exploring the Frio River Region with Kristi Gerdes | The In-Between Podcast Ep. 39 Join Jake and Leah as they sit down with Kristi Gerdes, the brand-new Executive Director of the Texas Hill Country River Region (THCRR), to talk about the future of tourism, hidden gems along the Frio River, off-season adventures, and the importance of preserving dark skies. Whether you\u2019re planning a summer float, a cozy fall getaway, or curious about family-friendly activities in Uvalde County, this episode is packed with local insight, history, and inspiration. \ud83d\udc49 Don\u2019t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories from the heart of Texas Hill Country!  \u23f1\ufe0f Timestamps 00:00 \u2013 Welcome + Spotlight on Camp Riverview in Concan, TX 01:00 \u2013 Meet Kristi Gerdes, new Executive Director of Texas Hill Country River Region 02:00 \u2013 Growing up in Uvalde + early river memories 03:00 \u2013 The opening of House Pasture (1998) and local traditions 04:00 \u2013 How the area has grown &amp;amp; the role of social media in tourism 05:00 \u2013 Why travelers trust TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube over Google blogs 06:00 \u2013 Kristi\u2019s vision for Visit Uvalde County social media 07:00 \u2013 Building tourism beyond summer: fall, winter, and spring opportunities 09:00 \u2013 The magic of off-season camping, hiking, and campfires 10:30 \u2013 Lower lodging rates + quieter river experiences in fall\/winter 11:30 \u2013 Hidden gem: Lost Maples State Park &amp;amp; nearby Utopia 13:00 \u2013 Kayaking, Chalk Bluff Park, and water adventures beyond the Frio 15:00 \u2013 Uvalde Nature Park &amp;amp; family-friendly activities 16:00 \u2013 Local history, Briscoe-Garner Museum, and the Opera House 18:00 \u2013 Tourism challenges: seasonal closures &amp;amp; siloed businesses 19:30 \u2013 Kristi\u2019s strategy to bring partners together for bigger events 21:30 \u2013 The role of social media &amp;amp; bridging generational marketing gaps 22:30 \u2013 Birding tourism opportunities and community collaboration 24:00 \u2013 Astro-tourism &amp;amp; preserving dark skies \ud83c\udf0c 27:00 \u2013 Advocacy for clean rivers, landscapes, and skies 29:00 \u2013 Building off-season tourism &amp;amp; uniting visionary locals 31:00 \u2013 Exciting new interactive website for Visit Uvalde County 32:00 \u2013 Wrap-up + Kristi\u2019s warm welcome into the community  \ud83d\udc64 Guest Bio Kristi Gerdes is the newly hired Executive Director of The Texas Hill Country River Region (THCRR), a DMO founded in 1998 with the mission of promoting Uvalde County as an overnight year-round tourism destination and to increase off-season occupancy in the region\u2019s accommodations. \ud83d\udce7 Email: Kristi@visituvaldecounty.com \ud83c\udf10 Website: https:\/\/visituvaldecounty.com\/ \ud83d\udcf1 Text Questions To: (830) 834-5534  \ud83d\ude4c Special Thanks To Our Sponsors   Camp Riverview \u2013 friocampriverview.com   Songs On The Frio \u2013 songsontherfrio.com    \ud83d\udd11 Keywords &amp;amp; SEO Tags Frio River, Concan TX, Uvalde County, Texas Hill Country, River Region, Garner State Park, Lost Maples State Park, Visit Uvalde County, Concan camping, Frio River cabins, Texas dark skies, astro tourism, Texas family vacations, fall in Texas Hill Country, spring getaways Texas, Texas birding, Camp Riverview, House Pasture, Texas travel podcast. ","author_name":"The Inn Between Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/theinnbetweentx.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/38096925\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/item\/38096925"}