Winter Texan Economic Impact Report

Retirees make their way to South Texas for the first time because they have heard about ‘the Valley’ from a friend or family member. They come for the first time primarily to escape the cold weather and to see friends. They stay in our hotels, shop in our stores, and eat in our restaurants and, suddenly, their quick 1-2 week visit has a substantive economic impact. But when that short visit turns into a decision to winter in South Texas, the economic impact grows exponentially. Businesses grow, sales and property tax revenue increase, jobs are created, and philanthropy increases.

Welcome Home RGV recognizes the importance of this demographic and in November 2021, we commissioned UTRGV’s Data and Information Systems Center to create the survey and then analyze the data gathered. Welcome Home RGV is proud to share these new insights into the Winter Texan visitor and their multiple contributions to the Rio Grande Valley.

Every dollar spent by Winter Texans generates $1.6 dollars in the local economy.

• $1.2 billion in expenditures were injected into the local economy by Winter Texans and their family and friends
  • $825.3 million directly by Winter Texans
  • $360.9 million was spent by visitors for food, travel, entertainment, lodging, etc.
• Add in the jobs created, labor income and the contribution to the SouthTexas gross domestic product and the total economic impact on the region’s economy resulting from the Winter Texans was $1.9 billion.  
• A total of 10,011 jobs were supported; compensation for employees totaled $352.6 million and adds $561.2 million to the Valley’s gross domestic product.  
• A total of $82.7 million in taxes is generated from Winter Texans.
• Seventy-four percent (74%) of the respondents said they are a Winter Texan.  Twenty-six percent (26%) said they are a Converted Texan, which indicates they like the Rio Grande Valley (the Valley) and called themselves a permanent resident of South Texas.

• Most Winter Texans who came to the Valley travelled by car (60%).  Eleven percent (11%) said they drove a motorhome, ten percent (10%) pulled a trailer, nine percent (9%) drove a RV, and eight percent (8%) flew by air.  

• Winter Texans stayed an average of 3.1 months in the Valley.  Eighty-one percent (81%) said they stay anywhere from 3 to 6 months.  About eight percent (8.4%) said they stay from 6 to 9 months.  Ten percent (10%) said they stay less than 3 months and then go back home.  

• Including the current trip, respondents indicated having come to the Valley an average of 9.8 years.  About six percent (6%) said it’s there first time in the Valley.  Sixty-three percent (63%) said they have been returning for last 10 years, and thirty-seven percent (37%) reported they have been coming from past 20 years and more.

• Over half said they own a mobile home (57%).  Thirty-five percent (35%) said they live in their own recreational vehicle (RV) or home.  The rest stayed with friends or rented a place.

• Eighty-four percent (84%) said they come to the Valley for the climate, friendly people (65%), and cost of living (65%).  Some of the other reasons were to visit Mexico (33%), be close to beach (33%), and for medical reasons (8%).

• Winter Texans spend an average of $15,600 dollars per household during their stay.

• Eighty-five percent (85%) said they don’t listen to podcasts.  Fifteen percent (15%) said they listen to podcasts.

• Most Winter Texans (87%) shop online (87%).  Thirteen percent (13%) said they don’t shop online. 

• About seventy-one percent (71%) said they purchase event tickets online.  Twenty-nine percent (29%) said they didn’t purchase event tickets online.

• Eighty-six percent (86%) of the persons surveyed said they utilize Facebook for their social media needs.  Instagram (17%), Twitter (8%), and WhatsApp (7%) are other social media apps that Winter Texans use.  

• Seventy-six percent (76%) of the persons surveyed said word of mouth will work best in to reach and market to them.  Fifty-six percent (56%) said social media advertising, and thirty-eight percent (38%) said internet advertising.

• Most Winter Texans (86%) are retired.  Nine percent (9%) said they are employed part-time or full-time.  One percent (1%) of the respondents said they are either disabled or volunteer their time.

• The respondents reported they volunteer at their RV resort (36%), non-profit (14%), special events (14%), school (3%), or hospital (2%).  Fourteen percent (14%) said they volunteer at other places like a church, a golf course, airport, etc.

• Sixty-five percent (65%) said they travel out of the RGV for a quick getaway.  Thirty-five percent (35%) said they don’t.

• When traveling out of the Valley, thirty-nine percent (39%) said they flew from the McAllen airport, thirty-six percent (36%) flew out of the Harlingen airport, and four percent (4%) said they flew from the Brownsville airport.  Respondents also said they flew from San Antonio and Houston airports.

• About 42% said they stay at a hotel when visiting South Padre Island which generates an estimated $6.3 million to the island’s hotel industry.

• Seventy-three percent (73%) said their family and friends visit them during their stay in the Valley.  Sixty percent (60.4%) said 1 visit, twenty-three percent (22.9%) said two visits and six percent (6.4%) said three visits.  They would stay an average of 9.4 days during their visit to the Valley.

• When friends and family visit the Valley said they stay with family (61%), at a hotel (20%), rent an apartment in RV resort (14%), or stay at an Airbnb (5%).  The friends and family who come to visit contribute an estimated $61.5 million to the local lodging and other accommodations industry.

• An estimated 52,910 households come to the Valley as Winter Texans.  The average household size is 1.89 persons.