Community
METHODOLOGY Survey
Survey Methodology
• Objective: To understand resident perceptions of tourism in Corpus Christi.
• MMGY Travel Intelligence conducted an online survey of 1,929 residents* in Corpus Christi. The survey was distributed to residents by Visit Corpus Christi.
• The survey was fielded from January 09, 2025 through January 31, 2025. Data was tabulated and analyzed by MMGY Travel Intelligence. It was then compared to the surveys conducted in 2023 (N= 2,169) and 2021 (N=1,608).
• The participants met the following criteria:
/ Must be a resident of Corpus Christi
/ 18 years of age or older
*1,929 responses meet the criteria for the statistically significant sample size necessary to conduct this analysis
Summary Executive
Corpus Christi residents continue to recognize tourism’s economic value, with increasing agreement that its benefits outweigh negative impacts. However, a perception gap remains residents view traditional hubs like Downtown and North Beach as tourism beneficiaries, while high-activity local areas, such as Southside, are not widely seen as benefiting. This suggests an opportunity to broaden awareness of tourism’s economic reach across the city.
Perceptions of Corpus Christi’s tourism infrastructure have improved, with most attractions rated highly in both importance and quality. However, some key sites—such as Downtown Corpus Christi and the Selena Museum—are valued but perceived as lower quality, highlighting opportunities for investment. Dining options and shopping infrastructure have also seen positive growth, with retail shopping rising in perceived importance, reinforcing its role in the tourism economy.
Corpus Christi residents are demonstrating increased civic pride and advocacy, with more identifying as city ambassadors, recommending local attractions, and sharing resources to promote tourism, signaling a stronger sense of local ownership in the city’s appeal.
Growing recognition of tourism’s economic impact has reinforced strong community backing for year-round visitation and government funding, with a shift toward prioritizing cultural tourism and infrastructure improvements over traditional sporting events—indicating opportunities for more strategic, high-impact investments.
Despite stable social media engagement, resident awareness of Corpus Christi’s tourism initiatives remains low, highlighting a disconnect between content reach and active engagement. Strengthening communication strategies to align with evolving digital habits and increasing transparency about tourism funding and visitor impact could enhance local involvement and advocacy.
Key
Corpus Christi residents increasingly recognize tourism’s economic benefits, but a perception gap remains as high-activity local areas like Southside are not widely seen as benefiting, highlighting the need to better communicate tourism’s broader impact.
Importance of Tourism for Corpus Christi
81% of respondents in 2025 agree that tourism is important to Corpus Christi, maintaining the high agreement seen in 2021 and 2023
Overall Perception of Tourism Benefits Outweighing Negative Impacts
The significant increase in positive sentiment toward tourism from 2021 to 2025 suggests a strengthening public perception of its benefits, potentially driven by economic recovery, improved tourism management, or more visible community benefits. The decline in disagreement further indicates that concerns about negative impacts may have lessened, signaling a shift in how residents experience and perceive tourism’s role in their community.
Agree 68% 13% Disagree
“In general, the positive benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts”.
Agree 75% 7% Disagree
Residents' Views on Tourism as an Economic Growth Driver
In 2025, residents continue to perceived tourism as having a positive economic impact.
Residents show increasing awareness of tourism as a generator for good employment and support for small businesses. Interestingly, there may be some abatement of concern for tourism as a cause for price inflation, specifically in reference to local dining and entertainment.
Perceptions of Tourism's Impact on Community Well-Being
In 2025, the sentiment in Corpus Christi continues to shift towards a more positive perspective on quality of life.
2025 sees a further reduction in the concerns around tourism. All three aided negative impacts, traffic and physical congestion, and impacts on natural resources see lower agreement which may reflect effective management and messaging.
Residents’ reported neighborhoods of residence and where they spend most of their time reveal that daily activity is concentrated in Southside and Padre Island, while fewer residents report spending time in Downtown and North Beach. This suggests that residents' daily routines do not necessarily align with traditionally recognized tourist areas.
Respondents reported neighborhood of residence Neighborhood where respondent spends most of their time
Southside Padre Island
While Southside sees the most local activity, residents overwhelmingly perceive Downtown and North Beach as the areas that benefit the most from tourism. This highlights a potential disconnect between where tourism’s economic impact is felt and where locals spend their time, suggesting an opportunity to broaden the understanding of tourism’s contributions across all neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods that disproportionally benefit from tourism
Respondents reported neighborhood of residence
Neighborhood where respondent spends most of their time Neighborhood which respondents feel benefits the most from tourism
difference between 2021, 2023 and 2025 is not significant.
Southside Padre Island Other North Beach London Flour Bluff Downtown Central City Calallen Bay Area
Key
Perceptions of Corpus Christi’s tourism infrastructure have improved, but key attractions with high importance yet lower quality—like Downtown and the Selena Museum—present opportunities for investment, while dining and retail continue to strengthen their role in the tourism economy.
Importance-Performance of Tourism Infrastructure
Residents believe that Corpus Christi offers a wide range of important and high-quality tourist attractions.
Concentrate Here
Low
Keep up the Good Work
High Importance, High Quality
Nature,
Parks and Adventure Attractions
Importance Quality Attribute
92% 87% Padre Island National Seashore
84% 73% Cole Park
79% 74% Texas Sealife Center
79% 74% Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve & Nature Center
79% 72% South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center
79% 67% Laguna Madre
79% 80% Mustang Island State Park
79% 63% Packery Channel Nature Park
79% 89% Texas State Aquarium
78% 63% Downtown Seawall
75% 64% Concrete Street Amphitheater
71% 69% Oso Bay Walking Trail
61% 61% Glow Row Kayaking
61% 60% Worldwinds Windsurfing
61% 57% Horses on the Beach Corpus Christi
Dining, Culture, Sports/Events and Museums
76% Waterstreet Oyster Bar
Sunset Island/Mile Marker 37
Corpus Christi International Airport
Concrete Street Amphitheater
La Palmera Mall
USS Lexington Museum on the Bay
The Art Museum of South Texas
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History
70% The Art Center of Corpus Christi
68% 57% K Space Contemporary 66% 58% Heritage Park 65% 55% Mirador De La Flor 65% 54% South Texas Music Walk of Fame 61% 64% American Bank Center Convention Center
82% Whataburger Field
55% Cabaniss Fields
Importance-Performance of Tourism Infrastructure
There are several attractions that rate low in perceived quality, even though residents place a high level of importance on these for their quality of life.
Bar Under the Sun
Bill Witt Park, West Guth Park
Downtown Corpus Christi
Enjoy Corpus Christi Tours
Hurricane Alley Waterpark
Lozano Golf Center
Salinas Park
Selena Museum
Between 2021 and 2025, the overall perception of the quality of tourist attractions has increased.
Texas State Aquarium
Padre Island National Seashore
Whataburger Field
USS Lexington Museum on the Bay
Mustang Island State Park
Texas Sealife Center
The Art Museum of South Texas
South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center
The Art Center
Museum of Science and History
Sunset Island/Mile Marker 37
Laguna Madre
American Bank Center Convention Center
Downtown Seawall
Worldwinds Windsurfing
Hurricane Alley Waterpark
South Texas Music Walk of Fame
Mirador De La Flor
Selena Museum
*The difference between 2023 and 2025 is not statistically significant.
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.
In 2025, Corpus Christi residents continue to rank restaurants and food-related spaces among the top 3 tourism infrastructures, highlighting their value to the community and economy.
Beaches
Restaurants
Outdoor open space for festivals, farmers markets and events
State and City-wide parks; Airport
Downtown Seawall
Downtown; City-wide hiking & biking trails
Retail shopping
Museums
Outdoor murals/street art
Historical Attractions
Professional Sports/Stadiums
City-wide indoor facilities for league games, tournaments and competitions
City-wide playing fields for league games, tournaments and competitions
Nightlife/Bars
Golf courses
Overall Dining Perceptions Have Improved Since 2021, With
Retail shopping has increased in ranking from 11th most important tourism infrastructure in 2023 to 9th in 2025.
In
correlation with that improvement, the perception of availability of shopping options by residents show strong improvement between 2021 and 2025.
• All shopping options show an increase in perceptions of availability from 2021 to 2025.
• The largest increase was seen with upscale shopping and dining areas although it continues to trail other shopping options.
• Indoor retail centers, big box retail centers and walkable shopping show strong improvements.
Key
Corpus Christi residents are demonstrating increased civic pride and advocacy, with more identifying as city ambassadors, recommending local attractions, and sharing resources to promote tourism, signaling a stronger sense of local ownership in the city’s appeal.
Proud of being a Corpus Christi resident in 2021
Proud of being a Corpus Christi resident in 2023
Proud of being a Corpus Christi resident in 2025
The rise in Corpus Christi residents identifying as city ambassadors suggests strengthening community pride and a greater willingness to promote their city.
2021 Residents that consider themselves ambassadors
Residents that consider themselves ambassadors
What are some examples of how you consider yourself to be an ambassador or advocate for the Corpus Christi?
"As I travel throughout the country, I talk about how wonderful the beaches are and the community itself", " hype my city up to visitors and even current residents”
"Have volunteered at PINS", "I volunteer at many nature sites", "I volunteer at Buc Days“, “I am highly supportive of the local parks and conservation efforts in the area”
"I post my Corpus Christi [sp] activities on social media", " I promote Corpus Christi on Facebook constantly", "I promote Corpus Christi to out-of-town friends and family"
“[I] host our family reunions here (family from California, Washington & Las Vegas& Valley", "Sharing secret places to visit, eat, locations to fish. Actually feel more like a concierge", "I recommend places to visit and share everything I know that’s happening here and how fun it is!”
"Openly talk about the great things in Corpus Christi", "I express my love for the city to everyone...“, "Being a lifelong resident of Corpus Christi and being an employee for a local organization, I pride myself on being an ambassador for my beautiful city"
There is a substantial improvement in the Net Promotor Scores, demonstrating a positive shift in the residents' perception of their city as a tourist destination.
2023 Net Promotor Score : +19
2025 Net Promotor Score : +20
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is derived by subtracting the percentage of respondents unlikely (scores 1-6) to recommend Corpus Christi as a visitation spot from those extremely likely to do so (scores 9-10). 2021 Net Promotor Score : +1
Detractors (score 1-6) Passives (score 7-8) Promoters (score 9-10)
73%
Agree that when hosting friends and relatives, they like to take them to local tourist places.
64%
Agree that they often recommend local tourist sites to people who are visiting Corpus Christi
80%
Agree that when hosting friends and relatives, they like to take them to local tourist places.
71%
Agree that they often recommend local tourist sites to people who are visiting Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi residents are not only feeling more pride in their city but are actively showcasing it to visitors. The steady increase in residents recommending local attractions and hosting guests at key tourist sites reflects a growing confidence in the city's appeal, reinforcing its identity as a destination worth promoting.
The increase from 39% to 45% in Corpus Christi residents providing web links and resources for visitors' trip planning between 2021 and 2025 indicates a growing engagement in promoting the city and facilitating tourist experiences.
This is a small decrease from what was seen in 2023 at 47% possibly indicating that alternative information sharing methods such as social media may be increasing in popularity.
45%
Provide visiting friends and family with links to webpages and resources for their trip planning
Webpages and Resources Provided to Friends/Family
Social Media
(184 mentions)
This is the most frequently mentioned category. It includes references to general social media platforms like Facebook (70 mentions) and Instagram (28 mentions). The responses indicate that many people recommend or share links to events, attractions, or experiences in Corpus Christi through these platforms.
Restaurants and Dining
(83 mentions)
These responses indicate a focus on culinary experiences and might include recommendations of specific restaurants or types of cuisine available in Corpus Christi.
Visit Corpus Christi (VCC) Related
(109 mentions)
This category includes various mentions of the Visit Corpus Christi website and similar variants (e.g., "www.visit Corpus Christi.com"). It shows a significant number of people directing others to this official tourism site for information about Corpus Christi.
Specific Attractions and Activities
(112 mentions)
This category covers a range of specific local attractions and activities. Responses include mentions of the Texas State Aquarium, beaches, the USS Lexington, Padre Island, and various museums. These responses suggest a focus on highlighting key tourist spots and activities in the area.
Key
Corpus Christi residents increasingly recognize tourism’s economic value, leading to stronger support for year-round visitation, government funding, and infrastructure investment, particularly in cultural attractions and expanded transportation options.
The growing recognition of tourism’s value has led to increased support for off-peak visitation and government funding.
It is important for the local government to support/help fund the promotion of tourism
It is important to attract visitors to Corpus Christi during times of the year that usually have lower visitation
• 2025 continues growth trends seen in 2023 with incremental increases in the perceived importance of attracting visitors to Corpus Christi during off-peak times, indicating a growing recognition of the value of year-round tourism.
• There also continues to be an increase in the belief that local government support or funding for tourism promotion is crucial. This shift suggests an evolving attitude towards the role of government in boosting tourism.
Community support for Visit Corpus Christi’s year-round visitation goals remains strong and steady.
“One of Visit Corpus Christi’s objectives is to increase visitation to Corpus Christi year-round. Please indicate the impact you believe this objective has on local residents and visitors.”
78% of respondents recognize the beneficial impact on local residents and visitors.
81% of respondents recognize the beneficial impact on local residents and visitors.
82% of respondents recognize the beneficial impact on local residents and visitors
Support for Visit Corpus Christi’s year-round visitation goals has remained strong since 2021, with residents consistently recognizing its positive impact on the community and tourism economy. This steady approval suggests that efforts to promote year-round tourism are well-received and reinforce the perceived benefits for both residents and visitors.
Residents continue to strongly support local government funding to attract events and boost tourism.
“It is important for the local government to support/help bring in convention groups, sporting events, concerts, film festivals and conferences”
Corpus Christi's community supports tourism investment and promotion.
I
I support funding incentives that add additional flights at the Corpus Christi International Airport
I support investments in marketing Corpus Christi to prospective visitors
I support investments to develop and host more sporting events in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi residents continue to show strong support for tourism investment, particularly in cultural attractions, events, and expanded transportation options.
The consistent backing for government funding suggests a recognition of tourism’s role in economic growth and community enrichment.
While enthusiasm for sporting events and major meetings remains steady, cultural tourism and infrastructure improvements appear to be higher priorities, signaling opportunities for strategic investment.
I believe Visit Corpus Christi provides a service that brings value to my local economy
I support investments to develop and host more major meetings and conventions Corpus Christi
Key
Despite stable social media engagement, low resident awareness of tourism initiatives and funding signals a need for clearer communication and stronger local advocacy.
A decline in residents feeling informed about tourism news suggests a need to adapt communication strategies to changing media habits.
70%
67%
In 2021, 70% of residents felt well-informed about tourism news, reflecting strong public engagement with local tourism developments.
64%
By 2023, this declined slightly to 67%, suggesting a minor drop in engagement or access to tourism-related updates.
The continued decline in 2025 may indicate that current marketing and communication strategies are not effectively aligning with changing media consumption habits.
Do you consider yourself informed/up-to-date on news about tourism in Corpus Christi?
Tourism awareness remains modest, with some areas showing decline.
The Visit Corpus Christi's Visitor Information Center
Where Corpus Christi's visitors are coming from
The number of jobs tourism creates in Corpus Christi
The amount of money visitors spend when visiting Corpus Christi
Awareness of where visitors come from has declined significantly, highlighting an opportunity to better educate residents and engage them in attracting new tourist segments.
The Visit Corpus Christi Community Messages
The number of Corpus Christi's visitors per year
The Visit Corpus Christi Gulf Coaster Program
The Visit Corpus Christi Strategic Plan
Familiarity with Visit Corpus Christi remains low with little change over time.
Public awareness of Visit Corpus Christi has remained stagnant since 2021, with familiarity levels still relatively low.
Strengthening communication and marketing strategies could help increase visibility and engagement within the community.
Public awareness of Visit Corpus Christi’s funding remains low, highlighting a need for greater transparency.
Public awareness of Visit Corpus Christi’s funding sources has remained low since 2021, with nearly half of residents still unsure where the funding comes from. Enhancing transparency and communication around the organization’s financial structure could improve trust, engagement, and opportunities for collaboration with the community.
Visit Corpus Christi’s social media engagement holds steady, with Instagram continuing to gain popularity.
Visit Corpus Christi’s social media engagement remains stable in 2025, with Instagram experiencing the most significant growth since 2021. Facebook continues to be the dominant platform, while TikTok has seen a sharp decline from its peak in 2021. Engagement on X (formerly Twitter) and Pinterest remains low, indicating shifting audience preferences and potential opportunities to refine platform strategies.
Far fewer residents continue to share Visit Corpus Christi’s content, though Instagram is also growing in this aspect.
Have NOT shared messaging from any of the VCC social media accounts Have shared messaging from any of the VCC social media accounts
While more than half of residents follow Visit Corpus Christi on social media, fewer actively share its content. In 2025, message sharing remained stable compared to 2023, but platform preferences shifted—Facebook saw a decline in sharing, while Instagram continued to grow as a key platform for engagement. These trends suggest that while residents consume content, motivating them to actively share requires tailored strategies that align with evolving platform behaviors.
What could VCC do to make the city more attractive to entice travelers to visit here rather than to another city?
Category Count Examples
Activities and Attractions 325
Urban Development 291
Emphasize leisure nature activities and areas; More festivals and large events; More family-friendly options
Downtown revitalization; Develop North Beach area; More art in public places; More walkable areas
Advertising and Marketing 264
Cleanliness and Safety 217
Infrastructure and Transportation 151
Advertise to specific groups; Show and educate what the city has to offer; Improve the website for tourist information; Provide coupon or discount options
Keeping areas of tourism clean and safer; reduce abandoned buildings
Add more flights; Add airport shuttle; Fix streets, roads and reduce potholes; Downtown board walk is lacking; More direct flights from major cities...
Accommodations and Facilities 139
Cultural and Historical Preservation 131
Improve airports; Improve convention center; better hotels; Better and more affordable accommodations; More dining options…
More and improved outdoors recreation options; Promote art walk and other urban art; Promote music events; Promote cultural and historic landmarks.
*1055 total open-ended responses captured in 2025 survey
INSIGHTS Additional
Additional
Residents continue to prioritize nature-focused tourism, recognizing beaches, parks, and trails as key to quality of life. While concerns about tourism’s environmental impact persist, strong support remains for initiatives that educate visitors on conservation and responsible travel.
Residents consistently prioritize nature-focused tourism, rating beaches, parks, and trails as Important to quality of life.
Beaches
Restaurants
Outdoor open space for festivals, farmers markets and events
State and City-wide parks; Airport
Downtown Seawall
Downtown; City-wide hiking & biking trails
Retail shopping Museums
Outdoor murals/street art
Historical Attractions
Professional Sports/Stadiums
City-wide indoor facilities for league games, tournaments and competitions
City-wide playing fields for league games, tournaments and competitions
Nightlife/Bars
Golf courses
Tourism’s Impact on the Environment
“Tourism in Corpus Christi negatively impacts our natural resources”
“I believe tourism can help the environment as local government and people seek to protect sensitive and scenic areas”
2021 2023 2025
Perceptions of tourism’s environmental impact in Corpus Christi have remained relatively stable since 2021. While some residents continue to express concerns about negative effects, confidence in tourism’s potential to support conservation efforts has also remained steady. These findings suggest that while sustainability remains an important consideration, views on tourism’s environmental role have not significantly changed over time.
Residents Strongly Support Tourism’s Role in Protecting Natural Resources, Though Agreement Has Slightly Declined Over Time.
I support investments in educating visitors about how to be responsible in protecting and preserving our natural resources when visiting Corpus Christi
It is important for Visit Corpus Christi to educate visitors about how to respect the local environment and natural resources when they visit
DEMOGRAPHICS Respondent
Length of Residency
Population % Source: 2020 U.S. Census
Gender
Household Income
Population % Source: 2020 U.S. Census
Race
Marital Status
Population % Source: 2020 U.S. Census
Thalia Navia