A new year means new opportunities for all, and that is certainly the outlook of Visit Corpus Christi. As we dive into the new year, we celebrate what was a year of great progress in 2023 with innovation, and enhancement for both the Gulf Coast Capital and the Visit Corpus Christi team! We closed out the year reflecting on the many wins of 2023 and looking forward to what's to come. The marketing team wrapped up a great winter campaign to ensure Corpus Christi remains top of mind for travelers looking for a place to visit before the peak spring and summer season. Also, in December, our Corpus Christi Sports Commission spearheaded an iconic Trevi's Homecoming event, a multi-faceted event that welcomed New York Yankee's catcher, Jose Trevino back to his hometown for a youth-tournament that brought in over-night visitation to Corpus Christi. All initiatives shared come from continuing to put our business plan strategy into play. Not to mention, that the first quarter of the fiscal year involved a great deal of strategic planning in order to ensure we are working as effectively and efficiently as possible to bring visitation to the Gulf Coast Capital and as a result strengthen the community by sharing Corpus Christi with the world. This and much more is shared on this edition of the Visit Corpus Christi Organizational report. I invite you to be a part of our mission and vision through strategic collaboration. Cheers to what's to come in 2024 and to the Gulf Coast Capital! 

Breaking Waves: Dive into the Top 3 Tourism Tidbits for Corpus Christi! 🏝

• Annual Report: Take a look at Visit Corpus Christi's 2023 Annual Report with highlighting each department's notable moments and metrics for the last fiscal year. [Go to the Annual Report]
• Monthly Data Snapshot: Don't miss out on the latest tourism insights! Check out Visit Corpus Christi's monthly tourism data snapshot now and ensure your business decisions are well-informed and backed up by the data. For instance, since September 1st hotel occupancy is out-pacing the entire state of Texas vs last year.
• FY24 Business Plan: If you're interested in learning more about what Visit Corpus Christi is working on for the next two years, take some time to look at the new business plan being implemented here.

Organizational & Operations

• Visit Corpus Christi is pleased to announce the addition of a new Director of Visitor Services and Visitor Services Coordinator to the team. Brittney Weise has been named the new Director of Visitor Services, and Dalilah Maldonado is joining the experience team as the new Visitor Services Coordinator. Both members will be instrumental to the successful operations of our Visitor Information Center in Water Street Market and our Gulf Coasters Program throughout the community.

• Visit Corpus Christi received the HSAMI 2023 Silver Adrian Award for the Summer Coast Your Own Way Summer Campaign. The HSMAI Adrian Awards celebrates excellence in travel marketing – awarding the industry’s campaigns and hospitality professionals in advertising, digital marketing, and public relations. The 2022 Adrian Awards honorees were selected from more than 600 global entries by senior industry and media experts.

• Visit Corpus Christi was elated to recently welcome new board members to the Visit Corpus Christi Board of Directors group by hosting the first ever comprehensive orientation session for all new board and council members. The Visit Corpus Christi executive leadership team was able to provide an overview of the organization's plans and operations for fiscal year 2023-2024. The meeting was a crucial opportunity for new members to align with Visit Corpus Christi's goals and contribute effectively in the year ahead. [Meet the Board of Directors here]

  • LaToya Rodriguez - Owner, Rose Soiree
  • Steve Banta - Executive Director, USS Lexington Museum
  • Zach Jurasek - Owner, Glow Row
  • Krystof Kukewicx - General Manager, Omni Corpus Christi Hotel
  • Alex Harris - Owner, Brite Star Development

Marketing & Communications 

• The team continues to work on keeping the Gulf Coast Capital top of mind to journalists all across the U.S. A total of 1.8 million media impressions came as a result of the Public Relation efforts in the month of December. Media placements included publications like InsideHook, Southern Living, and Texas Monthly all featuring Corpus Christi and its various offerings. [Read the articles]

• In December, Visit Corpus Christi ran the annual Merry Days by the Bay campaign to showcase our partner's events and local businesses to short-drive markets and visiting friends and relatives, encouraging visitors to explore holiday events and offerings through itineraries, unique experiences and holiday shopping. The campaign resulted in a 61% increase in Facebook engagements, over 2,000 new Instagram followers and 1.8K Merry Days content shares from Visit Corpus Christi social media. 232K Merry Day events and Things to Do emails were sent to leisure subscribers which included partner shout outs, garnering 4.7K clicks and an above average email open rate of 35.23% and generating 11,192 website sessions to the MerryDaysbytheBay.com website.

• The Gulf Coast Capital had the opportunity to submit information for the annual American Tours International Travel Texas webinar. As a part of the partnership, information about vacation offerings in Corpus Christi was shared with North America's leading travel service provider with operators from all over the world in attendance. 

• Discovering unique businesses and people throughout Corpus Christi is extremely important in order to tell the authentic Corpus Christi story to visitors, media, and locals alike. This is why our digital marketing team has unveiled the new community story blogs, starting with renowned muralist Mayra Zamora. Read more about her trajectory as an artist here.

Convention Sales & Services

• Travis, Nicole, and Mallori attended the Texas Society of Association Executives (TSAE) Celebration Luncheon as an activation and table sponsor. For the activation, more than 150 association professionals could select a custom Corpus Christi ornament for their own tree during the networking hour. This annual event brings together association professionals and suppliers for an evening of networking where the Sales team was able to meet with over fifty Texas-based meeting planners. 

• Travis Milum, Senior Director of Accounts, co-chaired this year’s TACVB Sales Blitz. This blitz was focused on advocacy and educating meeting planners to utilize DMOs during the planning process. New this year, the committee launched its first Partnership Luncheon, bringing together 14 top-notch meeting planners to educate them on how DMOs can assist planners with insider information regarding each unique destinations. The group also teamed up with the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Houston Chapter for a social event at Pinstripes where the team was able to connect with more than 90 industry professionals, making for even more networking opportunities. 

• The American Planning Association, Texas Chapter held their 2023 Texas Chapter Conference & Short Course in the Gulf Coast Capital! Corpus Christi welcomed an estimated 960 attendees, the group’s second most well-attended conference in the organization’s history. The American Planning Association, Texas Chapter brought in an estimated $510,2850 in economic impact and over 1,315 room nights to the downtown area for this conference. 

Experience & Visitor Services

• As an interdepartmental initiative, a holiday postcard campaign targeting visiting friends and relatives was launched as a unique way to pique interest in Corpus Christi. Locals and visitors had the opportunity to request Corpus Christi branded holiday postcards to be sent to their loved ones near and far. Gulf Coasters hand wrote a custom messages to be send all around the U.S. welcoming and enticing visitation to the Gulf Coast Capital.

• The Visitor Info Center at Water Street Market hosted Whitecap Watch Company for the last First Friday Artwalk of 2023. Featuring Santa himself, the First Friday Holiday Party celebrated the launch of the 2023 Merry Dash Pass, a FREE experience pass and self-guided holiday lights tour that allows visitors to support local businesses, enjoy festivities, and earn prizes along the way.

• Workforce developments initiative, Professions Across Tourism and Hospitality (PATH) continues to be an active strategy in support of partners and stakeholders. For more information on how to become a mentor, submit your job postings or internship please visit the website.

• The Corpus Christi Tourism Grant Program has been designed to enhance the visitor experience in Corpus Christi. This grant program offers up to $5,000 in funding to eligible businesses looking to develop immersive visitor experiences that promote and celebrate Corpus Christi's unique offerings. The application window is open now until December 31st. 

Sports Commission

• Trevi's Homecoming brought sports enthusiasts from all over the region to Corpus Christi through s multi-faceted event. The week-long spectacle included a softball and baseball youth tournament, toy-drive, batting practice at the USS Lexington, and Home Run Derby at Whataburger Field. 

• The sports commission, in partnership with the Visit Corpus Christi PR team had the opportunity to host sports writer, Jeff Gayduk. Gayduk got an inside look at the sport ecosystem in the Gulf Coast Capital through on-site interviews, site visits, and immersive experiences catering to what Corpus Christi has to offer to sports planners and attendees. 

• Breanna Martinez represented the Sports Commission at the Express Esports & LGBTQIA+ Conference in Kissimee, Florida. Whilst in Florida, Breanna had scheduled appointments with 17 planners, including International Pride Softball, the National Gay Flag Football League, Andromeda Esports, and more. The conference allowed our team the unique opportunity to build strong relationships with diverse planners from across North America and share why Corpus Christi is a great place to host sporting events.

Film and Music Commission

• The Corpus Christi Film and Music Commission is currently working with local organization, The Ritz to plan produce a "homecoming event" for film produce and film maker, Sharon Arteaga. The strategic initiative is continue fostering the local film industry in the Gulf Coast Capital by showcasing her films in order to entice community pride among the film community.

• The 2nd annual Coastal Bend Music Industry Symposium in quickly approaching on February 15, 2024 at House of Rock and the Bay Jewel. Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from the best in the Coastal Bend music industry. This symposium brings together local musicians, talent, producers and creatives in one space to share industry trends and information as the Corpus Christi music scene is moved forward.

• Maintaining Corpus Christi as a key player in the state's musical ecosystem is certainly top of mind for the Corpus Christi Film and Music Commission. Visit Corpus Christi and the Corpus Christi Film and Music Commission is proud to announce that Megan Jabsen has been appointed as the official South Texas liaison for the state's Regional Meetings initiative. In this role, she will play a key part in assisting the Texas Music Office with artist sign-ups and contributing to the development of a more inclusive and comprehensive artist list that can be shared widely. This initiative is expected to enhance support for artists in South Texas and strengthen collaboration within the music industry.