Survey Methodology • •
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Importance of Tourism for Corpus Christi 50%
31% 29%
16%
2%
1%
3%
2%
15%
50%
Overall Perception of Tourism Benefits Outweighing Negative Impacts
Residents' Views on Tourism as an Economic Growth Driver
Residents' Views on Tourism as an Economic Growth Driver
3% 11%
42%
43%
6%
26%
31%
35%
3% 7%
25%
32%
33%
4%
9%
5%
12%
11%
28%
30% 15%
23%
8% 9%
29%
29% 35%
19%
24% 23%
34%
26% 19%
30%
13%
43% 38%
16% 12%
22% 21%
13%
Perceptions of Tourism's Impact on Community Well-Being
Residents' Views on Tourism as an Economic Growth Driver
Corpus Christi's community and economic vitality are increasingly embraced by its residents through strong support for tourism development
Perception of Quality of Corpus Christi Tourism Attractions
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Corpus Christi saw a slight uptick in the frequency of residents visiting local attractions, indicating a growing engagement with the city's cultural and recreational offerings.
Variety – Quality Gap Analysis : Dining and Restaurant Options 5
Fast Food/Take-out
4
National/regional chains National/regional chains
Microbreweries Food trucks & Pop-ups
3
Fast Food/Take-out
Casual dining Casual dining Food trucks & Pop-ups Microbreweries Signature and Upscale
Farm to table
Signature and Upscale Farm to table 2
1 1
2
3
4
5
Perceptions of the Quality of Dining Options
Perceptions of the Variety of Dining Options
Importance of Restaurants and Dining Options for Corpus Christi Residents
Retail shopping (ranked 11th in importance) is not perceived to be widely available, even though it has improved in the last 2 years. •
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The increase to 59% of Corpus Christi residents feeling proud in 2023, up from 52% in 2021, indicates a positive trend in community sentiment, though it also suggests room for further improvement to address the concerns of the nearly 41% who are less than proud.
The rise from 63% to 69% in Corpus Christi residents viewing themselves as ambassadors for the city reflects a strengthening community identity and increasing local advocacy over the two-year period.
There is a substantial improvement in the Net Promotor Score derived from the likelihood of recommending Corpus Christi as a destination, demonstrating a positive shift in the residents' perception of their city as a tourist destination.
The increase from 39% to 47% in Corpus Christi residents providing web links and resources for visitors' trip planning between 2021 and 2023 indicates a growing engagement in promoting the city and facilitating tourist experiences.
The increased perceived importance of tourism has translated into increased support of off-peak tourism and government funding
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There is a strong consensus on the importance of local government support for major events in Corpus Christi.
Residents’ Support for Funding Tourism
Residents’ Support for Funding Tourism
Most residents consider themselves informed about tourism news.
Awareness regarding tourism-related information has remained modest and consistently stable over the past two years.
Familiarity with Visit Corpus Christi 100%
100%
90%
90%
80%
80%
70%
70%
60%
60%
50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
There is persistent public uncertainty on Visit Corpus Christi’s funding sources.
There is a growing community appreciation for Visit Corpus Christi’s year-round visitation goals.
In 2021, 43% of respondents followed Visit Corpus Christi on Social Media, with Facebook being the dominant platform.
By 2023, there was a notable increase in Visit Corpus Christi's social media following, with a dramatic surge in Instagram followers.
In 2021, a minority (27%) of the audience engaged actively with Visit Corpus Christi's social media by sharing their content, primarily through Facebook
The year 2023 saw a growth in proactive audience engagement, with 33% sharing Visit Corpus Christi's content and a notable diversification in sharing across platforms like TikTok.
What could VCC do to make the city more attractive to entice travelers to visit here rather than to another city?
Importance of Tourism Infrastructure
Tourism’s Impact on the Environment
24%
21%
31%
34%
46% 2021
45% 2023
63%
65%
Agree
Agree
Neutral
Neutral
Disagree
23%
23%
14%
12%
2021
2023
Disagree
Residents continue to agree that tourism has a responsibility to protect Corpus Christi’s natural resources I support investments in educating visitors about how to be responsible in protecting and preserving our natural resources when visiting Corpus Christi (2021: 80%) It is important for Visit Corpus Christi to educate visitors about how to respect the local environment and natural resources when they visit (2021: 85%)
In 2021, while Southside was the primary neighborhood for residence and time spent, Downtown and Padre Island were perceived as the main beneficiaries of tourism, indicating a disparity between residential preference and tourism impact.
By 2023, there was a redistribution of residency with rising prominence of Padre Island and Bay Area, yet Downtown and Padre Island continued to be seen as the primary beneficiaries of tourism, suggesting ongoing tourism-focused development in these areas despite changing residential patterns.