Visit Corpus Christi Annual Report 21-22

CORPUS CHRISTI ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Organization

Letter from the CEO

2022–2023 Board Members

Who Are We at Visit Corpus Christi

Visit Corpus Christi Staff

Strategy Initiatives Hospis Gala and Awards

Economic Impact of Tourism Community Perspective Survey

Short Term Rental & Hotel Performance

Top 5 Wins for the Year

Convention Sales & Services

Convention Sales & Services Strategy Highlights Key Accomplishments

Group Incentive Plan Fund

Gulf Coast Capital Takeover

Corpus Christi Hooks Suite

Top 5 Wins for the Year

Sports Commission Marketing & Communications

Marketing & Communications Strategy

Highlights Key Accomplishments

Visit Corpus Christi Campaigns

Gulf Coast Capital Community Night

Public Relations Initiatives

Top 5 Wins for the Year

Experience Development

Experience Development Strategy

Highlights Key Accomplishments

Insight into the Visitor Experience

Gulf Coast Capital Store Retail

Top 5 Wins for the Year

Sports Commission Strategy Sports Commission Launch

Top 5 Wins for the Year

Film & Music Commission

Film & Music Commission Launch

Top 5 Wins for the Year

Budget & Financials

FY 22-23 Annual Budget

FY 21-22 Financial Highlights

Dear City of Corpus Christi,

On behalf of the Visit Corpus Christi team and board, I am proud to present our 2021-2022 Annual Report. As I commented over and over two years ago, my first year would be devoted to assessing and planning. This year was focused on performing. And we are very proud of the success we have had culminating with being named the 2022 Texas DMO of the year by the Texas Association of CVB’s. On top of that and over the past 18 months, Visit Corpus Christi has become one of less than 200 internationally accredited destination marketing organizations, won multiple local, regional, state and national awards and had staff individually recognized for their performance. Most importantly, Visit Corpus Christi is becoming a credible and trusted leader in the community - showing a region the impact that a destination organization can achieve.

This annual report is filled with examples of Visit Corpus Christi living out our mission to create a better community by sharing Corpus Christi with the world. Corpus Christi has the potential to be a national destination. Proof of this is backed by a Corpus Christi economic impact report conducted by the same company that reports the Texas State Economic Development and Tourism economic impact report. The Corpus Christi economic impact report proved what our team already knows: Corpus Christi truly is the Gulf Coast Capital of Texas. More visitors stay overnight and spend money in Corpus Christi annually than any other Texas destination.

As I look back on these last 12 months, I am amazed at the number of accomplishments the organization has achieved. That is due to a staff of bold and collaborative professionals dedicated to this community. The passion that they have to make Corpus Christi better is something that should inspire everyone. Our team is proud of the foundation we have built. We believe in Corpus Christi and have a vision for what we can become. If we can find ways to work together in strategic and collaborative ways, nothing can stop us from truly becoming the Gulf Coast Capital.

Brett Oetting

Visit Corpus Christi President & CEO

WHO WE ARE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Serving as the Destination Organization for the city of Corpus Christi, Visit Corpus Christi has continued to make significant progress in the second year of our three-year strategic plan. With the support of our local community, stakeholders, and city leaders, Visit Corpus Christi has advanced in its goal to help the city become the Gulf Coast Capital making us one of the top travel destinations in Texas.

Annually, Corpus Christi welcomes over 10 million visitors who spend $1.3 billion, generating $30 million in sales tax revenues, and contributing 26% of citywide sales tax collections. Visit Corpus Christi is committed to our community and the need of community shared value. It is important to the organization that our residents understand the impact tourism has on the local economy and share the sentiment of our mission in “Creating a better community by sharing Corpus Christi with the world”. Our growing economy, convention facilities, sports venues, hotels, and experiences are the key to making Corpus Christi the best place to live and visit.

DESTINATION MARKETING ACCREDITATION PROGRAM

To achieve DMAP accreditation Visit Corpus Christi was required to undergo an intensive application process and demonstrate continued adherence to the highest level of industry standards. Visit Corpus Christi demonstrated compliance by meeting and exceeding the extensive list of industry standards and joins the ranks of more than 200 destination organizations globally that have obtained DMAP recognition.

Savannah Garza Digital Content Manager

Brett Oetting, cdme President & CEO

Erica Bhakta Executive Vice President

Emily Zertuche, CTE Chief Marketing Officer

Joey Jewell, sts Executive Director of Sports

Meredith Darden, CTE Vice President of Strategy

Nicole Olivares. cmp Vice President of Sales

Erica Tamez Strategic Implementation Manager

estevan Guerra Director of Visitor Services

Mike Imburgio, phd Director of Data Science

Kathryn Hyatt Senior Director of Digital Marketing

Danielle Galindo Creative Director

Travis Milum, cmp Director of Texas Accounts

Breanna Martinez Sports Development Manager

Mallori Johnson Destination Services Manager

Laura Kocian Staff Accountant

Mary Herrera Sales Coordinator

aMERICA sEGURA Public Relations Manager

Laura Kocian Board Relations & Executive Administrator

Hannah Ryan Graphic Designer

christina cortez Visitor Services Coordinator

reBEKAH SANTOYO Retail Coordinator

2020-2023 STRATEGIC PLAN

In September 2020, Visit Corpus Christi developed a three-year strategic plan which identifies the essential key metrics needed to fulfill our vision of becoming the Gulf Coast Capital for coastal and outdoor recreational experiences. As the second year of our strategic initiatives comes to an end, we reflect on the progress Visit Corpus Christi has made towards our primary objectives.

Inclusive Community Alignment

Visit Corpus Christi redefined the #CCME campaign. This community campaign promotes advocacy and community support for the local tourism industry through positive messaging and community activations.

Driven Organization

Visit Corpus Christi worked closely with area hoteliers and the Texas Hotel Lodging Association to develop the Corpus Christi Tourism Public Improvement District. The program is designed to expand promotion and marketing capabilities further increasing the visibility of the Gulf Coast Capital. Corpus Christi is the sixth city in the state of Texas to pass this legislation.

Bold SMarketing

Visit Corpus Christi strategically developed the Corpus Christi Sports Commission with a focus on creating world-class sporting events and attracting competitive land and water sports further driving tourism to the Gulf Coast Capital.

Collaborative Experience Development

Visit Corpus Christi worked together with the city of Corpus Christi to determine whether to invest in a new feasibility study addressing the potential need for a headquarter hotel connected to the American Bank Center. A headquarter hotel would be a major economic driver bringing in new business, larger meetings and conventions, leisure, and sporting events to the convention center.

THE OUTLOOK AHEAD: STRATEGIC PLAN 2022-2023

As Visit Corpus Christi begins the third and final year of the strategic plan, the organization is dedicated to completing the following key initiatives outlined below. Visit Corpus Christi remains confident in the goals set in place to achieve, and knows that in doing so, the organization will continue to support the growth of tourism in Corpus Christi truly establishing the destination as the Gulf Coast Capital.

A recent economic impact study found that the impact of the Corpus Christi travel and tourism industry leads Texas beach destinations across the state. Data from Dean Runyan Associates, San Antonio based Source Strategies and STR Inc., a national hotel data company pieced together a study led by the Visit Corpus Christi research team to quantify the impact travel and tourism has on Corpus Christi. The primary highlight of the report shows overnight hotel stays and lodging revenue in Corpus Christi continue to lead all Texas coastal destinations ahead of Galveston, South Padre Island, Port Aransas and Rockport.

House Keeper of the Year (HOUSi)

• Connie Luna Texas State Aquarium

• Diana Moya - Staybridge Suites

• Vanessa Grijalva - Hilton Garden Inn

Tourism Extraordinaire (FRIENDLi)

• DeAnna Richarte - American Bank Center

• Jericho Dyogi - Omni Corpus Christi Hotel

• Elaine Motl - Barefoot Mardi Gras

Heart of the House (HEARTi)

• Tye West - Port Royal Ocean Resort

• Sabrina Grubbs - Port Royal Ocean Resort

• Johnny De La Rosa - Omni Corpus Christi Hotel

Bartender of the Year (BOOZi)

• Charlie Adkins - Brewster Street

• Cleveland Miller - Water Street Oyster Bar

• Tristina Lindsey - The Texan

Front of House (HAPPi)

• Myrtle Hattan: Omni Corpus Christi Hotel

HOSPIS GALA AND AWARDS

The Hospis is our signature event, honoring individuals within the corpus Christi community that demonstrate excellence in tourism and hospitality. The HOSPiS Awards Gala is held in conjunction with the Visit Corpus Christi Annual meeting. This event provides a platform for us to

recognize individuals, companies and community partners who support tourism in Corpus Christi. Awards for front line and back of the house are provided to area hotel workers, attractions and restaurants.

• Veronica Rocha - Home 2Suites by Hilton

• Trinatee Duhart - Bien Merite

Under 35 Leadership Award (SPARKi)

• Richard Wright - MCR

• Sarah Perez - Port Royal Ocean Resort

• Melanie Granado - American Bank Center

Restaurant of the Year (FOODi)

• Dragon Fly

• The Republic of Texas

• Restaurant 361 at Port Royal Hotel of the Year (COMFi)

• Hilton Garden Inn

• Port Royal Ocean Resort

• Residence Inn Downtown

Attraction of the Year (HATTi)

• Islander Athletics

• USS Lexington Museum on the Bay

• Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra

COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE SURVEY

Visit Corpus Christi partnered with MMGY Global to conduct a survey of Corpus Christi residents. The goal of this survey was to understand how the community views tourism, understand how it views the city itself, and understand what issues are important to Corpus Christians. This process is central to the operation of the organization. Focusing on the intersections of resident and visitor needs means maximizing the impact on the community.

SHORT TERM RENTAL & HOTEL PERFORMANCE

Hotels began the year with strong year-over-year increases that leveled out as non-beach and international travel opened back up. Short term rental demand exceeded last year’s demand every month, by an average of over 40%. Putting them both together, that meant more total revenue than last year, which resulted in a record-breaking bed tax collection.

organizational OF THE YEAR! TOP 5 WINS

Recognized as a Best In Class Organization

Visit Corpus Christi took home significant awards for the year, earning international industry recognition as a must-visit leisure destination positioned as the Gulf Coast Capital.

Awards included the following honors and recognitions:

• DMO of the Year Award received by the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus

• Integrated Marketing Program of the Year received by the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus

• eTSY International Gold Award for Innovative Brand Refresh of the Gulf Coast Capital awarded by eTourism Summit

• Gold International HSMAI Adrian Award for the “Coast Like a Texan” Video Campaign

• Silver International HSMAI Adrian Award for “Positioning Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital”

• Gold Addy Award for the Gulf Coaster Guerilla Marketing Campaign and Design awarded by the American Advertising Federation – Corpus Christi Chapter

• Gold Addy Award for the Integrated Media Campaign “Coast Like a Texan” awarded by the American Advertising Federation – Corpus Christi Chapter

Brought in Record Economic Impact to Corpus Christi

Integrated Sales and Marketing campaigns brought in record hotel occupancy tax collections, totaling $216 million dollars. These efforts generated 91 group convention business bookings, an all time high for the sales team. These accomplishments were complimented by Sales and Marketing efforts achieved for the year, including the inaugural Gulf Coast Capital

Takeover in Austin, Texas, a one-night takeover event that brought the Gulf Coast Capital directly to targeted association meeting planners and influential media representatives. The first-ever Public Relations strategy surpassed estimated numbers tremendously, featuring publications in Forbes, UPROXX, and Good Morning America.

FOR EVERY DOLLAR PLACED INTO

DIGITAL ADVERTISING

IN FY 21-22, $7.89 WAS GENERATED INTO THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI.

Launched The Rebranded Visit Corpus Christi Website

Averaging more than 1.5 million annual web visitors, Visit Corpus Christi launched its updated look to the website in November of 2021. The new website offers several new features to create a better user experience for potential visitors, meeting planners, and anyone planning their next trip to the Gulf Coast Capital. The rebranded website created a new look for Corpus Christi, adding a bold yet laid-back feel that any beachgoer can enjoy, along with more robust resources and information on events, attractions, lodging and dining.

Launched the Corpus Christi Sports Commission 2022 was a historic year for Visit Corpus Christi as it launched the Corpus Christi Sports Commission in June. With the launch, work immediately began on creating the overall structure of the Sports Commission, such as staffing size and roles, evaluation of potential bylaw needs, organizational branding, and solidifying the final stages of the creation of Tourism Public Improvement District funding (TPID). To assist with the creation of the Sports Commission’s strategic plan, Visit Corpus Christi contracted with a nationally recognized sports tourism consulting firm, the Huddle Up Group, with a purpose to identify strategic target markets and opportunities based on current community inventory, infrastructure, and external competitive markets. The Corpus Christi Sports Commission began its development in long-term strategic plan based of these findings.

Creation of Corpus Christi Tourism Public Improvement District

Over the last year Visit Corpus Christi worked with the local hotel community to create the Corpus Christi Tourism Public Improvement District. In June, the TPID was approved by the City of Corpus Christi and implemented in August. The district is solely funded through an assessment fee collected through taxable hotel room nights. The use of these funds is for the purpose of extending marketing and sales efforts, creating new initiatives reaching uncharted territories that draw more group, event, sports and convention business to Corpus Christi.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

MARKETING MISSION

To position Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital - a tourism destination with unique, outdoor recreational experiences by influencing measurable overnight visitation from core audience segments to the Corpus Christi area and extending their length of stay.

Meet The Team

Hannah Ryan Graphic Designer

America Segura Public Relations Manager

Savannah Garza Digital Content Manager

Kathryn Hyatt Sr. Director of Digital Marketing

Danielle Galindo Creative Director

Erica Tamez Strategic Implementation Manager

Emily Zertuche, CTE Chief Marketing Officer

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The 2021-2022 year for Marketing and Communications proved to be one of the most significant years in Visit Corpus Christi’s recent promotional history. The Gulf Coast Capital received multiple recognitions on the national stage, earning the “Innovation in Brand Refresh” eSTY Award at the 5th Annual eTourism Summit Excellence Awards for positioning Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital and two HSMAI Adrian awards including the Gold Award for the “Coast Like a Texan Video Campaign” and the Silver award for “Positioning Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital”.

Visit Corpus Christi continued to lead the industry by developing robust and strategic destination campaigns including the 2021-2022 Coast Your Own Way Campaign, putting Corpus Christi on the map as a national beach destination and the Gulf Coast Capital for coastal and outdoor recreational experiences. Leisure seasonal media campaigns drove potential visitors to the all-new Visit Corpus Christi website, which launched in November. Marketing and communication efforts for the year included a wide array of initiatives in multimedia advertising, communications, advocacy, public relations, e-commerce and collateral development. Visit Corpus Christi launched the first of-its-kind Meetings & Conventions Campaign in partnership with the sales team, driving leads through creative marketing and development. Marketing and Communication efforts with Sales collaboration included an onsite presence at the international tradeshow IPW and at the experiential Visit Corpus Christi activation, Gulf Coast Capital Takeover in Austin, Texas.

In addition to marketing efforts, the communications team onboarded the organization’s first national public relations agency to focus media outreach efforts beyond Texas boarders. This strategy brought on positive awareness of Corpus Christi as a top tier destination on a national and international scale. The communications strategy included market media tours, media familiarization tours, desk sites, takeovers, and various trade show activations, inspiring visitation by showcasing what Corpus Christi has to offer through relationship building and earned media.

The Visit Corpus Christi Marketing & Communications team accomplished each goal set this year in promoting the destination on the national and international scale as the Gulf Coast Capital, a great accomplishment in wrapping up the second year of the strategic plan.

HIGHLIGHTS

MARKETING key accomplishments

NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK

Visit Corpus Christi celebrated the 2022 National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), an annual celebration that highlights the contributions of the U.S. travel industry. The celebration was locally highlighted through initiatives from the Marketing and Communications team, including the #ThisIsCC Selfie Photo Challenge. This self-guided challenge took participants on a city-wide hunt to Corpus Christi’s most picturesque spots for an opportunity to win in-house designed merchandise at the Visitor Info Center for locals and visitors alike to show their Corpus Christi pride.

In this micro-campaign, locals and visitors alike were encouraged to view Corpus Christi from a new perspective by taking a picture at one of the ten featured locations and posting it on their social media using #ThisIsCC.

COAST YOUR OWN WAY SUMMER CAMPAIGN

The Visit Corpus Christi Coast Your Own Way Summer Campaign aimed to inspire potential visitors to travel to a relaxing, coastal beach destination while having independence when choosing their style of vacation, with the call to action to coast their own way.

Running from April through July, key campaign insights include exceptional results on a newly introduced media channel, Audacity, a streaming audio and video channel at X24 higher than tourism industry performance, a X3 higher engagement rate on digital rich media units that enabled clickable and engaging digital advertisements catered to visitors based on intent to travel to a coastal destination.

Over 2 million dollars in Expedia revenue was generated directly from the Coast Your Own Way paid media with a 77% increase in arrival lift to Corpus Christi after being exposed to paid media. In addition, over $196,000 in economic impact was driven directly by the summer campaign through paid media through Sojern - a multi-channel travel marketing platform used and relied on by 10,000 hotels, attractions, tourism boards and DMOs around the world.

Targeting core audience segments, Visit Corpus Christi’s paid media efforts continued to influence overnight visitation and extend visitors’ lengths of stay in the Gulf Coast Capital.

GULF COAST CAPITAL NIGHT

Visit Corpus Christi hosted the second annual Gulf Coast Capital Night at Whataburger Field, a community event aimed to instill pride in the Corpus Christi community with the rallying cry to position Corpus Christi on the map as The Gulf Coast Capital and to educate the public on the importance of being a #CCME ambassador for tourism promotion.

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY APPRECIATION NIGHT

Visit Corpus Christi hosted Hospitality Industry Appreciation Night, an event at Whataburger Field dedicated to celebrating the hospitality and service industry and highlighting their hard work and efforts that make Corpus Christi thrive. The inaugural Hospitality Industry Appreciation Night began with the first pitch from HOSPis Award Winner Johnny De La Rosa, a Corpus Christi native and 20-year Hospitality service professional who received the 2022 Heart of the House award.

MERRY DAYS BY THE BAY

The Merry Days by the Bay campaign is a month-long collaboration of themed events, family-friendly activities, and more, to celebrate the holiday season in Corpus Christi. The call to action enticed visiting friends and relatives from short-drive markets to get out and explore the Corpus Christi festivities in the winter months, where Visit Corpus Christi launched a Merry Days holiday brand takeover, featuring a social media campaign focusing on things to do, trip planning ideas and live coverage of events from community partners. For digital advertising, the campaign incorporated messaging to show the beach as a getaway destination for the Holidays, tailoring messaging and in-house creative to align with each of Visit

GULF COAST CAPITAL HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS

As part of the Merry Days by the Bay Campaign, holiday cheer was spread by the launch of the Gulf Coast Capital Holiday Commemorative Ornaments campaign aimed to spread Corpus Christi cheer through the gifts of customized Corpus Christi merchandise. This limited collection invited visitors and locals alike to shop for their gifts at the Visitor Info Center and online at the Gulf Coast Capital e-commerce store for easy gift giving.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SUCCESSES

The Visit Corpus Christi Public Relations team developed an all-new regional and national PR strategy to generate impactful media coverage to aid in driving visitation, aiding in collaboration with the Coast Your Own Way marketing campaign, leveraging media and influencer partnerships and rage on the national level.

Top Ten Recognitions

• The 13 Best Beaches in the United States – Tripsavvy

• 13 Best Hidden Beaches Across the U.S. - Fodor’s

• 9 crowd-free U.S. beaches to escape to this summer – TripAdvisor

• For Earth Day: 5 Idyllic Ecotourism Destinations Across the Southern U.S. - Forbe’s

• The 12 Best Beaches in Texas – Tripsavvy

• 12 Best U.S. Fishing Cities for 2021 – Fishing Booker

• Shark Week in Corpus Christi, Texas - Wherever Family

• Memorial Day: 8 Special Experiences Honoring Those Who Sacraficed – Forbe’s

• A Travel Blogger’s Picks For the Best Beaches Closest to Dallas – Dallas Observer

• These 12 Texas Beaches are Perfect for a Summer Vacation – Houston Chronicle

NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Positive media coverage included beach highlights in the Houston Chronicle, the USS Lexington’s Memorial Day services in Forbes, Sew Bonita’s segment on Good Morning America, which alone had a reach of more than 9 million across broadcast, online and social media coverage.

In

additional media coverage, Corpus Christi was featured in the well-known publication Forbes for Earth Day as an Idyllic Ecotourism Destination in the Southern US, reaching over 25.6 million readers. The article featured the Padre Island National Seashore, highlighting ecotourism, outdoor experiences and nature of the Gulf Coast Capital.

CC SOCIAL HUB

The Corpus Christi Social Hub was created as a collaborative influencer program that gives local influencers and bloggers of Corpus Christi an opportunity to be a part of an exclusive group that is not afraid to show their Corpus Christi pride and advocate for the community.

Members of the CC Social Hub went through an application process and upon selection have played a pivotal role in amplifying the CCME community campaign initiatives which included presence at local events, new local business openings, and content creation to connect the community with the Visit Corpus Christi mission and vision.

12 INFLUENCERS INDUCTED IN 2021

GULF COAST capital

THE VISIT CORPUS CHRISTI ORGANIZATIONAL REPORT

Visit Corpus Christi launched the Organizational Report, a monthly emailed newsletter that provides updates on organizational accomplishments and promotes industry education, advocacy, and transparency. The report provides the community with the tools and information to continue advocacy for Corpus Christi tourism.

FESTIVAL AND EVENT COLLABORATION HIGHLIGHTS

As part of community engagement and collaborative initiatives, Visit Corpus Christi partnered with key event coordinators to aid in furthering marketing and communications efforts to potential visitors. Significant partnerships included the Beach to Bay integrated marketing campaign, where promotional efforts led to an added on 505K impressions to potential racers. With this effort, In-house creative launched the Peach to Bay partnership with Rebel Toad Brewing Company, featuring a customized “Summer Run” branded beer to provide to runners before and after the race. Additional micro-campaigns included Barefoot Mardi Gras, Conquer the Coast, Downtown Management District monthly events, Dia De Los Muertos and the American Bank Center.

marketing OF THE YEAR! TOP 5 WINS

International Award-Winning and Bold Marketing Campaigns

Corpus Christi marketing received national recognition, including the “Innovation in Brand Refresh” eSTY Award at the 5th Annual eTourism Summit Excellence Awards, two HSMAI Adrian awards (the Gold Award for the “Coast Like a Texan Video Campaign” and the Silver award for “Positioning Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital”), and two Gold American Advertising Addy Awards (for the Gulf Coaster’s wrapped Gulf Cart Design and for the integrated media campaign “Coast Like a Texan”).

Superstar Marketing and Communications Team

In addition to department-wide accomplishments, Kathryn Hyatt, America Segura, and Hannah Ryan all received nominations for the 2022 Local’s List by The Bend Magazine in their respective fields of expertise. Savannah Garza received the Social Media Manager Big Wig Award, and Danielle Galindo winning the 2022 Local’s List for Best Website Designer. These acheivements highlight the marketing and communication team’s excellence in the community.

Surpassed Marketing Campaign Goals

In the year 2021, the Marketing & Communications team surpassed key performance indicators set for the year, including 10.3 million digital engagements and 1.3 million visitors to the newly launched Visit Corpus Christi website. Campaign performance for the year surpassed its annual goals with a 138% achievement in impressions (203.1 million) and a 138% achievement in engagements (10.3 million). This led to a 60.4% arrival lift driven directly by paid media.

International Success in Media Communications

With the introduction of a National Public Relations Strategy in January of 2022, Corpus Christi generated 206.6 million media impressions by the end of the fiscal year, far surpassing the initial goal by 375%. This PR strategy developed this year paves the way for future achievements in positioning Corpus Christi as a travel destination.

Innovative In-House Creative Interdepartmental Collaboration

In 2021-2022, The creative team established the Corpus Christi brand presence through interdepartmental collaboration within the Experience and Sales teams. Design and branding were priorities in all in-house creations and initiatives, including the full inhouse development of the Gulf Coast Capital retail and e-commerce store, experiential activations for the National Travel and Tourism Week #ThisIsCC Selfie Challenge, Gulf Coast Capital Hooks Suite, and the Gulf Coast Capital Austin Takeover.

ExPERIENCE

estevan Guerra Director of Visitor Services

reBEKAH SANTOYO Retail Coordinator

Meredith Darden, CTE Vice President of Strategy

christina cortez Visitor Services Coordinator

ExECUTIVE SUMMARY

As Visit Corpus Christi entered the second year of a three-year strategic plan, the Experience Development strategy continued to build upon the focused opportunities outlined in the 2020-2021 Experience Plan. Key consideration was given to connecting with visitors in-market, sustainability and safety, and workforce development. These three elements of the visitor experience are designed to maximize visitor satisfaction, length of stay, spending, and repeat visitation.

HIGHLIGHTS

experience key accomplishments

be cC

BECC ExECUTIVE IMMERSION CAMPAIGN

In July 2022 the BeCC Executive Immersion Program officially launched, aiming to expedite the onboarding process for recruited executive talent to the Gulf Coast Capital. Program elements include a half-day or full-day interactive tour of Corpus Christi, one-to-one meetings with industry and community leaders, and a deep dive into understanding local quality of place. The goal of the BeCC Executive Immersion Program is to assist new families in growing their positive sense of community more quickly.

VISIT CORPUS CHRISTI AIMS TO CREATE A BETTER COMMUNITY BY SHARING CORPUS CHRISTI AND ALL IT’S OFFERINGS

BEACH SAFETY CAMPAIGN

In March 2022, Visit Corpus Christi launched a highly targeted beach safety campaign focused on elevating the level of safety for out-of-town visitors on destination beaches. By partnering with the City of Corpus Christi, the Experience and Marketing teams were able to create a variety of beach safety educational tools including: a landing page, coloring books, brochures, post cards, posters, and videos.

Print pieces were not only distributed directly to visitors on the Gulf Beaches via the Gulf Coasters Program, but were also sent to the 11 Texas State Travel Centers, local hotels, restaurants, attractions and more.

LEISURE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS

The Visit Corpus Christi Gulf Coaster team distributed over 2,000 surveys throughout the year to visitors across the city. The surveys asked visitors about their satisfaction with their trip, where they were visiting from, how long they stayed, who they travelled with, and more.

Compared to in-state visitors, out-of-state visitors travelled in slightly smaller parties, but stayed for much longer. This means a greater average economic impact for out-of-state visitors.

Visitors from out of state and the DFW area travelled in slightly smaller parties than other major metro areas in Texas. However, there was a clear trend in that the farther people travelled to Corpus Christi for their visit, the longer they stayed in the city, which means greater economic impact.

CORPUS CHRISTI VISITOR GUIDES

experience OF THE YEAR! TOP 5 WINS

The Gulf Coasters Expansion

The Gulf Coasters Expansion into four areas of high-visitor concentration allowed the Experience Department to reach and engage with more visitors in-market, collecting leisure traveler net promoter scores and influencing visitor spending per person, per day and average length of stay.

BeCC Executive Immersion Launch

The BeCC Executive Immersion Launch allows Visit Corpus Christi to play a direct role in creating the first impression of Corpus Chrsiti to new C-suite Level executives moving to the community. Showcasing the quality of place in Corpus Christi plays a pivotal role in recruiting top-tier talent to the Gulf Coast Capital.

The Gulf Coast Capital Store Retail Program

The Gulf Coast Capital Store Retail Program creates an avenue for promoting destination pride amongst locals, visitors, and business owners in the Corpus Christi community.

The Beach Safety Program

The Beach Safety Collateral Campaign targeted to out-of-town visitors directly impacts overall visitor experience through increased awareness of beach safety measures that may seem common sense to locals but are not as well-known among visitors.

Coast Your Own Way Market Place

The Beach Safety Collateral Campaign targeted to out-of-town visitors directly impacts overall visitor experience through increased awareness of beach safety measures that may seem common sense to locals but are not as well-known among visitors.

SALES MISSION

Travis Milum, cmp Director of

Nicole Olivares. cmp Vice President of

Mallori Johnson Destination Services Manager

Mary Herrera Sales Coordinator

ExECUTIVE SUMMARY

Over the first two years of the three-year strategic plan, the Visit Corpus Christi sales team has strategically rebuilt the foundation of the department and established a presence with a new meeting sales brand, Meet Corpus Christi. The sales team will leverage these foundational changes and brand presence to maximize the development and structure of the sales team.

As part of this developmental focus, Destination Services will transition back to Convention Sales to create a streamlined and cohesive process for meeting planners. With the fundamentals of Visit Corpus Christi at the forefront of the sales team’s mission, the team is ensuring that the customer relationship management system (CRM) is the heart and hub of all things Visit Corpus Christi. In addition to these efforts, the sales team will place an expanded emphasis on convention sales marketing efforts, increased focus on client engagement in and out of market through targeted sales efforts, tradeshow and industry event presence, key sponsorships, and highly personalized in-market experiences thus placing Corpus Christi on the map as the Gulf Coast Capital and a premier meetings destination.

HIGHLIGHTS

convention sales key accomplishments

GROUP SALES FAM TOUR

The Visit Corpus Christi Sales team hosted a familiarization (FAM) tour for Meeting Planners. The team hosted nine meeting planners from across Texas for two days of meeting venue and hotel tours, awesome Gulf Coast food and beverage offerings, and some amazing entertainment at the sold-out Jason Aldean concert and Corpus Christi Hooks baseball game. This resulted in genuine interest in Corpus Christi for future meetings and conventions with an estimated total economic impact of $7 million from the planners in attendance.

THIS RESULTED IN AN ESTIMATED TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $7 million FROM THE PLANNERS IN ATTENDANCE.

GULF COAST CAPITAL SUITE

In the Spring of 2022, Visit Corpus Christi unveiled the Gulf Coast Capital Suite at Whataburger Field in partnership with the Corpus Christi Hooks. This uniquely designed suite offers the ultimate coastal vibe that portrays the look and feel of the Gulf Coast. The Sales team hosted existing and potential clients with business worth an estimated $10.9 million in economic impact in the suite as they cheered on the Corpus Christi Hooks.

convention sales OF THE YEAR! TOP 5 WINS

Definite Convention Center Group Business

The Sales team generated 205 prospective leads worth 107,564 total room-nights for Corpus Christi. The direct economic impact of this business is estimated at more than $57.7 million. These bookings surpassed the team’s lead goals for the year—being over goal by 137% for leads sourced.

Tradeshow Presence

Each year, Visit Corpus Christi strategically identifies key tradeshows and sponsorship opportunities to promote Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital and a premier meetings destination. Participation in these industry events is critical to tourism in Corpus Christi and provides important one-on-one appointments and allows access to meeting planners and decision-makers.

The Sales team attended 12 tradeshows & 6 additional industry networking events in the Austin market where the majority of clients are based. The team met with over 200 planners face to face during one-on-one appointments resulting in 18 RFPs and 3 definite leads.

Group Incentive Program (GIP)

The Group Incentive Program is aimed at assisting Visit Corpus Christi in attracting and hosting conventions or events that generate a positive economic impact for the Corpus Christi and take place at the American Bank Center and other meeting and event venues across the city. This program has proved effective in securing group business to the American Bank Center and Corpus Christi hotel properties. For the fiscal year 2021-2022, over $324,000 in group booking incentives were offered that brought in an estimated return on investment of $18 million in economic impact.

Convention Center Business Outlook

Group business brings in over two million visitors to Corpus Christi annually, equating to 20% of annual visitors.

In the upcoming fiscal year, the American Bank Center is the host facility to 18 definite groups worth 25,077 total room nights and an estimated $15 million in economic impact.

Destination Services Sentiment

The Destination Services team manages the client experience for definite group bookings from the early planning stages, all the way through post event wrap up. The team serves as the best resource for event planning and promotional needs and works to make meeting planners and their attendees feel at home in Corpus Christi. The Destination Services team serviced over 80 events and sports groups this fiscal year and achieved an excellent meeting planner sentiment score of 9.4 out of 10 for overall meeting planner experience.

SPORTS COMMISSION STRATEGY

SPORTS MISSION

To create a better community by driving the sports tourism economy.

SPORTS VISION

To be the Gulf Coast Capital for Sports.

Meet The Team

breanna MARTINez Sports Development Manager

Joey Jewell, sts Executive Director of Sports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2022 was a historic year for Visit Corpus Christi as the Corpus Christi Sports Commission officially launched in June. With the launch, work immediately began on creating the overall structure of the Sports Commission.

The Sports Commission will follow all Visit Corpus Christi policies and procedures, thus negating the need for it’s own set of bylaws. It was determined that the Sports Commission would comprise a total of four team members, including the Executive Director. A Sports Development Manager was hired at the end of the fiscal year with plans to fill the remaining two positions by the end of the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year.

Department branding was created with intent to show alignment with Visit Corpus Christi while illustrating the expertise and credibility of the department towards the sports tourism industry. The Mission, to create a better community by driving the sports tourism economy, is guided by the vision of establishing Corpus Christi as the Gulf Coast Capital for Sports.

Policies and procedures were created for procurement, travel, sponsorships, and incentive funding, and the basic framework for a Sports Council was designed. The Council will advise and assist the Sports Commission in accomplishing it’s goals and will consist of community stakeholders.

In order to fund the Sports Commission, work had previously begun by Visit Corpus Christi to secure a Tourism Public Improvement District (TPID). This TPID was officially approved and administered by the end of the fiscal year.

With the structure and procedures in place, the Sports Commission began building relationships with community stakeholders and identifying key destination events. The Sports Commission assisted to varying degrees with the J24 World Sailing Championships, TAAF State Games of Texas, Express Beach Soccer Tournament, and Conquer the Coast. Media company, ICARUS, was contracted to shoot the J24 World Sailing Championship and other water-based sports to build out a sports event asset library for the Sports Commission.

To assist with the creation of the Sports Commission’s 2022-2023 Strategic Plan, Visit Corpus Christi contracted with a nationally recognized sports tourism consulting firm called the Huddle Up Group. The Huddle Up Group’s purpose is to identify strategic target markets and opportunities based on current community inventory, infrastructure, and external competitive markets. The Sports Commission utilized the findings from this report to create a vision for the next few years. This vision is highlighted in the Sports Commission’s 2022-2023 Strategic Plan.

CORPUS CHRISTI MEETS THE SPORTS COMMISSION

Staffing of the Sports Commission has begun with two key hirings. Joey Jewell, the Executive Director of the Sports Commission, has over 10 years of experience in the sports tourism industry. Joey comes to Corpus Christi by way of Eugene, Oregon where he led the Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission. Breanna Martinez, the Sports Development Manager, assisted in the operation of high caliber events such as the 2019 NFL Draft, Formula 1 Grand Prix, and Austin City Limits Music Festival. Most recently she was an Inside Sales Representative

for the Washington Commanders.

WEBSITE LAUNCH

The Sports Commission website serves as an evergreen marketing tool for the Sports Commission. Content design was mapped out and is in the development stage to include information on staff, services, an in-depth sports facility database, and toolkits for sports planners and media.

sports commission OF THE YEAR! TOP 5 WINS

Tourism Public Improvement District (TPID)

In what amounted to a multi-year project, Visit Corpus Christi was able to orchestrate a Tourism Public Improvement District which enabled the creation of the Sports Commission. The TPID is governed by a board of directors and will be instrumental in the establishment and growth of sports tourism in Corpus Christi.

Huddle Up Group Sports Facilities Study and Strategic Plan

The Sports Commission partnered with the Huddle Up Group to perform a sports tourism based destination analysis. Organizational structure, board makeup, and funding strategies were analyzed while a sports venue audit was conducted and recommendations for future construction submitted.

J24 World Sailing Championship

The Corpus Christi Sports Commission welcomed the J24 Sailing World Championship in July.  The event was held over 5 days and hosted sailing teams from across the globe.

Icarus Content

International media company ICARUS was contracted to shoot the J24 World Sailing Championship and capture media assets of other water-based sports. This was a key partnership in the development of the Sports Commission’s asset library and future promotion of water sports in Corpus Christi Bay.

TAAF State Games of Texas

Amateur, recreational, and young Olympic hopeful athletes competed in 10 sports featured at various venues throughout the city. Boasting nearly 10,000 athletes this event generated roughly $1.8 million in direct spend economic impact.

FILM AND MUSIC COMMISSION STRATEGY

MARKETING MISSION

The mission of the Corpus Christi Film and Music Commission is to support the visiting filmmaker and music promoter by providing important logistical provisions, including permitting, and acting as a liason between the production and government/municipal entities. The Corpus Christi Film and Music Commission is also tasked with promoting the areas viability as a location to support commercial, television, film and music productions.

Meet The Team

Erica Bhakta Executive Vice President

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In the final year of the three-year strategic plan, Visit Corpus Christi was tasked to create the Corpus Christi Film and Music Commission. Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend area have been great destinations for the promotion of film and music opportunities. The Visit Corpus Christi team has worked with the City of Corpus Christi in years past to create and evolve the film ordinance.

With the creation of this commission, new market development with film and music opportunities will be heavily focused on to drive business to Corpus Christi. The primary funding source will be through the Corpus Christi Tourism Public Improvement District (TPID). The Visit Corpus Christi Team will now be tasked with starting the development process of the commissions mission, goals and structure as the organization leads these efforts into the new year.

film & music commission OF THE YEAR! TOP 5 WINS

Launched the Corpus Christi Film & Music Commission Brand

Visit Corpus Christi’s design team developed the brand kit to kick off the Film & Music Commission. Design elements complement the Gulf Coast Capital branding with bold, vibrant elements that position Corpus Christi as a premiere Film & Music destination.

Provided a Historical Star on the South Texas Walk of Fame to Legendary Musician Robert Earl Keen

The Film & Music Commission welcomed Texas legend Robert Earl Keen for his final tour, I’m Comin’ Home. In partnership with community partners, the Corpus Christi Film & Music Commission presented this Texas country legend’s star of the South Texas Music Walk of Fame.

Brand Presence at Austin Film Festival

In the Fall, The Corpus Christi Film & Music Commission made its first brand presence in Austin, Texas at the Austin Film Festival. This tied the Texas film industry partners with Corpus Christi familiarity and provided resources and networking opportunities for Film & Music initiatives.

Panel Speaker Austin Film Commission Forum Dallas

Erica Bhakta, interim Film & Music Commissioner represented Visit Corpus Christi at the Austin Film Commission Forum in Dallas, Texas to provide the audience with awareness of Corpus Christi as a film destination.

Build Brand Presence with the Corpus Christi Film Community

In the start of the Film & Music Commission, community representation at the 2022 Corpus Christi 7-Day Film Project provided film community awareness and resources. The Film Commission presented the CC7D awards for Best Director and Best of Show, as well as participated in the judging process for local film participants.

FY 22-23 ANNUAL BUDGET

The breakdown of the operating budget supports the actions of the annual business plan and organizational strategic plan. As Visit Corpus Christi takes the next step in fulfilling the organizational mission of sharing Corpus Christi with the world, increased reach of advertising efforts along with developing a more memorable in-destination experience will be the organization’s primary focus.