Corpus Christi, TX - June 07, 2023 – Visit Corpus Christi, the official destination marketing organization for the city of Corpus Christi proudly announces a phenomenal Memorial Day weekend with over 29,000 rooms booked by visitors, demonstrating its position as a premier destination for holiday travelers. With exceptional hotel and short-term rental performance, the Gulf Coast Capital has outperformed its neighboring coastal cities, Galveston, South Padre Island (SPI), and Port Aransas. While most coastal cities saw decreases in overnight stays versus 2022, Corpus Christi saw a 3% increase in hotel occupancy rates, further solidifying the Gulf Coast Capital’s appeal. 

Visit Corpus Christi's President and CEO, Brett Oetting, expressed the importance of marketing in growing visitor demand to the region. “The strong start of the unofficial kickoff to summer shows that Corpus Christi has a product that people want. Our goal all along was to ensure the CCTX story was being told.” 

Visit Corpus Christi's Data Science department collaborates with multiple research and data providers to ensure accurate forecasting and reporting. The city of Corpus Christi witnessed an unprecedented surge in tourist activity during the Memorial Day weekend, marked by the following notable highlights:

  • Bookings on AirBnB experienced a 6% increase, while VRBO bookings saw a 7% increase.

  • The bridge to the island received an increase in vehicular traffic compared to 2021 and 2022 Memorial Day weekends, reflecting a 6% increase from last year.

  • The USS Lexington Museum, one of Corpus Christi's premier tourist attractions, achieved a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend with 9,932 visitors from Friday to Monday.

A Corpus Christi forecast created by Tourism Economics, a subsidiary of Oxford Economics, projects a big summer ahead. Increases in hotel revenue are expected throughout June, July, and August. A 4% increase in revenue compared to last year is projected for the summer, which would mean a record amount of tax collections for the city.  

Micheal Imburgio, the Managing Director at Visit Corpus Christi, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “People are coming to visit the Gulf Coast Capital and boost the local economy beyond increasing revenue at their hotel. The summer outlook is exciting for the restaurants, attractions, and local businesses around Corpus Christi that visitors will want to experience while they’re here.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.visitcorpuschristi.com/about-us/reports/data-reports/22

ABOUT VISIT CORPUS CHRISTI:

Visit Corpus Christi is a state and national award-winning 501c6 Destination Management Organization contracted by the city of Corpus Christi with a mission to create a better community by sharing Corpus Christi with the world. The organization is primarily funded through Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) paid by visitors while staying overnight in hotels and short-term rentals. Visit Corpus Christi also has a non-profit foundation that supports the hospitality and tourism industry via education programs, raising and providing funding to individuals and businesses during times of need through the Visit CC Cares program.

For more information go to www.visitcorpuschristi.com.