Professor’s report provides city with data to boost tourism and economic development

Last year, tourism had an estimated $1.6 billion economic impact on Corpus Christi and the surrounding area, according to a report released by the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau. The report, which outlines the economic impact and community benefits of tourism, was authored by Dr. Jim Lee, professor of economics at the University.

“I’ve been doing work with the Bureau since 2000 on various tourism-related studies,” Lee said. “I’ve also worked with several other city organizations, including the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Economic Development Corporation.”

It’s no secret that tourism is one of the major industries that keeps Corpus Christi a vital and thriving economy. But without statistics to back up important assertions, city officials would be at a loss to adequately tout the virtues of both visiting and living in Corpus Christi.

“Each entity at the city government uses the information for different purposes,” explained Lee. While economic development officials are responsible for bringing new business to the area, they use data Lee has compiled to showcase the quality of life Corpus Christi has to offer a new company. “And the Visitors Bureau uses the statistics to show prospective convention organizers what a beautiful place this is to visit,” he added. “It has a myriad of uses for various people.”

Lee is currently collecting visitor data during the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, which is estimated to bring more than 60,000 bowlers from across the nation and around the globe to Corpus Christi from February through July 2006. Some bowlers will also bring family members for extended vacations, so the number of visitors could swell to more than 100,000 during the six-month time period. The championships are estimated to pump $75 million to $100 million into the Corpus Christi economy.

Lee’s study is intended to develop a better understanding of the impact of large conventions on local businesses and the community as a whole. “We also hope to learn about the extent that these conventions contribute to other aspects of tourism, such as the area’s beaches, museums and other attractions,” he said. “This will potentially help us further develop the entire tourism industry, which accounts for one-tenth of the local economy.”

Tom Galyon, former president and CEO of the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau, said data collected from bowlers will help the Bureau evaluate the value of pursuing future tournaments. “The information we obtain from the bowlers will help us to understand the tournament’s overall economic impact on the city,” he said. “We’ll also follow up with area businesses and ask them if they needed to hire more people during the tournament.”

The information also proves invaluable to community stakeholders and prospective developers. “The data collected by Dr. Lee is very well-received throughout the community,” said Galyon. “We’re looking at collecting the same kind of data at various sporting events and festivals in the future.