[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6466615,"mediaKeyId","5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd","parentId",5823277,"title","VRMA presentation: professionally managed vacation rentals now account for majority of tourism tax base on South Padre Island","audioSeconds",800,"startMs",1123000,"endMs",1923000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd&start=1123&end=1923","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd/thumbnail_1123000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6466615/Texas/VRMA-presentation-professionally-managed-vacation-rentals-now-account-for-majority-of-tourism-tax-base-on-South-Padre-Island","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466615-0c50d5803c965b1ef8a57780a28a39f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137735&Signature=aFle8s8OhneknYy3hsiqjxDAtk3IY22QEOFa1JC0AKevPFXmHPeefDCW-p~Tkv9N4nQeUmAZbAsAjqPz9OQUc154maXHKytBGqHthjZOnFhILK0fAE9tGJ3KX3INk0Ih2lItFIh8JqcXRrQfe7EU3Ms8tPOtYXX3kIrTZPPeNSsLn-ibmn05WDQWfdTI0jW3e3MWQhieJm5h6UsIt4zt~OM4c8ehDV6PJGIVBULcb64W9a2XP0ZLL4g5uCftYlZwH0KNbhLtTn2VtGwiIq7WY9t0c7YFptWYaM5MDdmD6JqXnnh7a7KA4BsfoKPQQMZAxtS~7WbDM~UrlFgN~8lx-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Padre Island","date","2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","article","A representative of the Vacation Rental Managers Association presented a study to the board on the role of professionally managed short‑term vacation rentals in South Padre Island tourism. The presenter said the study found that visitors who stay in professionally managed vacation rentals tend to stay longer, spend more and return more frequently than hotel guests.

“Guests who experience issues report an 80% resolution rate, validating the rate of responsive management,” the presenter said, describing the ability of professionally managed properties to respond to problems and provide maintenance and 24‑hour service. The presenter also reported that 86.3% of visitors were either satisfied or very satisfied with VRM service, and that 61.2% said the VRM met expectations while 20.5% said it exceeded expectations.

The presenter emphasized that vacation‑rental stays averaged about four nights and that repeat visitation was notable: 55.9% of vacation‑rental visitors said they returned multiple times per year. The study also showed professionally managed rentals produced higher satisfaction and review scores than hotels in the sample.

On economic contribution, the presenter said short‑term rentals constitute “the backbone of South Padre Island’s tourism tax base,” representing roughly 52.8% of total sales receipts in the four‑year window the presenter cited. When asked about unit counts, the presenter said the market has about 2,400 vacation rental units and roughly 3,000 hotel rooms.

The presenter urged greater promotion of the term “vacation rental management” (VRM) and suggested that increasing public familiarity with professionally managed inventory could convert third‑party bookings to direct channels. Board members and attendees asked follow‑up questions about repeat‑guest origins and the dataset’s geographic breakdown; the presenter said additional research would be needed to report visitation source details.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","South Padre Island - CONVENTION AND VISITORS ADVISORY BOARD","oneSentenceSummary","A Vacation Rental Managers Association presentation to the board summarized a commissioned study showing professionally managed short‑term rentals account for roughly 52.8% of total sales receipts, higher average stays and satisfaction than hotels, and strong repeat visitation patterns.","taxTitle","South Padre , Cameron County, Texas","taxId",57359,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466620,"Greenhouse: summer digital campaign boosted site traffic and bookings; Expedia led OTA revenue",1022,104000,1126000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd&start=104&end=1126","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd/thumbnail_104000.jpg","/articles/6466620/Texas/Greenhouse-summer-digital-campaign-boosted-site-traffic-and-bookings-Expedia-led-OTA-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466620-d6116f15c439b4c84efeb85eee8b1d84/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137735&Signature=Jv2M3HCBnwVCMqeNWskVE9-8sh8e9gIcChTssYjq199vJniOIgEb9x9~XtrMLFRvOJfAjcHu7TxGGBqdoQY3LdNkMoniiX37WzslkBVajh-zLfpme184f1HNGRccsPXB-NrR2MjVyWWijU4WGdruOLwj10daLalWb4oPYm2SAmw79OCGtPkS9mbw9fQAIQcHGpAx1nt~Hf3larwxT0-IvFge~C6x5H4UJ80xeXfsVRozf5yoii7knVpiHwxO1nJ7IhIy0pApQ0qaktRKm-inAFxI-mBGoZsAGo12dfgGfDmF~-TKNjfoH9LTLM~Pp78z-YufM4flEJnO4FhPazOEJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Greenhouse, the destination marketing agency for Visit South Padre Island, told the board its April–August summer campaign delivered “strong efficiency across the board,” with year‑over‑year rises in impressions, clicks and sessions and continued momentum into August. The agency said social channels and Google Performance Max drove audience growth and conversion activity, while OTAs — led by Expedia — produced the largest immediate revenue impact.

The presentation said Expedia provided month‑over‑month room data and reported 274 hotel room nights and 323 vacation‑rental nights in August. “Expedia led the way with more than $150,000 in gross bookings across both hotel and vacation rental nights with a very strong return on ad spend of 16 to 1,” the Greenhouse presenter said. The presenter also said spend on Expedia dipped in August and estimated that the team spent roughly $10,000–$12,000 that month against a total Expedia budget of $61,000.

Greenhouse described how channels played complementary roles: Meta delivered high engagement (about a 6% click‑through rate on video‑first campaigns, roughly four times benchmark), TikTok extended cost‑efficient reach, Google search anchored conversions and display performed well on pillar messaging such as birding and family programming. On connected TV, the presenter said August completion rates were near 97 percent, and Spanish audio placements produced comparatively strong click‑through rates.

Board members asked for more granular reporting. “Would be able to always see the breakdown on that,” a board member said about the Expedia room‑night split between hotels and vacation rentals; the presenter offered to include a detailed Expedia breakout in the next board report and to add monthly spend by channel. The presenter agreed to send the Expedia report after the meeting.

Greenhouse also explained a GA4 reporting artifact that had shown a one‑second average engagement time on a Spanish‑language landing page; when the presenter isolated the specific page path the average engagement time rose to about five seconds. The presenter said they would adjust reporting to focus on page path data and explore ways to enrich Spanish content with stronger calls to action.

The agency closed by repeating that each channel filled a different role — “the OTA is leading in revenue, Meta driving engagement, Google converting sign ups, and display and video reinforcing awareness” — and agreed to incorporate board feedback into next month’s report.","A Greenhouse presentation to the Visit South Padre Island board reviewed April–August advertising performance, reporting strong year‑over‑year lifts in impressions, clicks and sessions, Expedia‑reported room nights and an estimated $150,000 in OTA gross bookings for August. Board members asked for more breakdowns and monthly spend reporting.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466605,"Visit South Padre Island executive director Blake Henry announces resignation, cites new leadership role",470,3332000,3802000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd&start=3332&end=3802","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd/thumbnail_3332000.jpg","/articles/6466605/Texas/Visit-South-Padre-Island-executive-director-Blake-Henry-announces-resignation-cites-new-leadership-role","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466605-c5905b494117737893300d617e7908c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137735&Signature=eYMMAsUyt7VKVjBu~2LsdVdgz~qML1GdpKR~uO4eFaUkYIbVuNfrYY31e6ElSovSz9wv7KJKvez~szaH7236JQ-zqZ2YRRpQGW1Zi9trdl-2atN0N2ScbNUIVSzsAjVvwZ7XXvR0jLjRsvPGodWwiFTzmsXcdjidlgJuGw6Wna-mWd2iePySrU0UAinyBcBPS8gB-GUBmlbZ52Vlyt3BQV8Dln9Q2qv-DktWCENVdhiCnFnx15O9O3~vxtcH65g5-h0aGz6SQ017N0oWKX38vggPCpdX0JlFjlZX3tratTX6xXm8xSKoIIJsiewokvi7XDYDNkeHbu7yBsQkTya5fA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Visit South Padre Island executive director Blake Henry told the CVA/board he has accepted a new executive leadership role on the East Coast and that this meeting would be his last. Henry said he was proud of the agency’s recent achievements and thanked staff, board members and city leaders for their support.

“I want to thank the CVA board, the EDC board, Mayor McNulty, city council and Randy for their support and guidance over the years,” Henry said. “Working with this team and all of you has been such a rewarding experience and together we've done some really amazing things.” He cited record visitation, increased hotel sales tax, growth in group sales business and national industry recognitions during his tenure.

Multiple staff members spoke in tribute. A staff member identified as Cindy said Henry had “positioned South Padre Island in the tourism industry in a really great way” and noted his reputation in the Texas DMO space. Other staff and board members offered brief remarks of appreciation and expressed confidence in the agency’s staff and future work.

Henry urged continued focus on the proposed expansion of the convention center and theater, saying the island would benefit from more convention center events, additional booked rooms and increased economic activity. He closed by saying he was excited for his next role but would always have “a special place in my heart for this island and this team.”","Blake Henry, executive director of Visit South Padre Island, told the board he has accepted a new executive leadership role on the East Coast and that he will leave the organization; staff and board members thanked him and praised the agency’s recent achievements.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466609,"Visit South Padre Island monthly report: events, group sales and tourism metrics show summer strength",1409,1916000,3325000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd&start=1916&end=3325","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823277-0a1d37e07ca61be457434071566a23cd/thumbnail_1916000.jpg","/articles/6466609/Texas/Visit-South-Padre-Island-monthly-report-events-group-sales-and-tourism-metrics-show-summer-strength","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466609-c04f23debb05ec3b29de251add0ce9ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137735&Signature=aMA8~uhrKNef9j~YSEfzQpJ4ulCMTfTW1pu3mLHYsvHyyFdbYoRnD2SEQIuby2D4VsRRZ6SHXEx65Pp6E5A0j3JLvDeUiT2gZFzcXkq5T8uKVoIaVFxHmvMZGJC~kU5nY1zfBYYJSwRZanmqNfp3aYw1VKqpiIvgGM5RklitepevYyoxsHrJs3zoFTRD8sDynw1rEtTB2P44Uq9lcmDcn8EB8jbsYlVXi~STHbwW41bhhKhhR576~of0nDpQwwI8a3OHCYxKjeWy6euNeQctMusfNJiH~h0ENC~RsaIAVmBTE03tpIgVkyoaM4TM1-O~9t9TpNcDdJHQSpk2-EStOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Visit South Padre Island staff delivered the agency’s monthly report for August, reviewing special events, group sales, consumer engagement, website performance, social and PR metrics, and preliminary tax and occupancy trends.

Events and group sales: Luis Rios, event experience coordinator, listed August events (TIFF, Ladies Kingfish tournament) and previewed October events including Sandcastle Days (estimated 1,000 daily), Wine for Wishes (1,000), and Dia de los Muertos 5K and festival (1,500). Services staff said August group‑sales activity produced 39 leads representing a potential 4,568 room nights; they contracted 2,865 room nights and actualized 15 events at the convention center plus 19 events assisted in hotels.

Digital engagement and content: Staff reported continued growth in text‑message signups (334 new signups in August) and newsletter subscribers (about 201 new signups). The website saw a year‑over‑year increase in total users and sessions of roughly 50–55 percent, driven by prospecting campaigns, some PR pickup and increased digital investment. Staff said they released updated blogs and would continue to refresh content to increase session depth.

PR, social and dashboards: PR staff reported 22 media pickups in August with an estimated total audience in the millions and highlighted placements in Southern Living and Lonely Planet. Social staff summarized top posts across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, noting high engagement on trend‑based content and photography contests. Staff said a new Tourism Economics dashboard (Prism Economics referenced) will provide additional market comparisons such as average daily rate and occupancy and that the agency is working with Greenhouse and Tourism Economics to present dashboard data on a regular cadence.

Preliminary tax and performance data: Staff summarized year‑to‑date hotel occupancy and tax collections through July and the daily reporting available from STR/key data for July. Hot tax collections were up 3.3% in May, 5% in June and 19.3% in July year‑over‑year; mixed beverage taxes and sales tax showed similar upward trends in summer months. STR reported hotel occupancy for August at 70.7% with ADR of $147. Staff noted a change in how ADR for VRMs is reported (key data including fees) that could produce double‑digit ADR increases in reported figures and said they would seek further clarification from data partners.

Consent agenda vote: Early in the meeting, the board approved the consent agenda by voice vote; the motion carried after an aye vote was called. The meeting adjourned after staff updates.","Staff presented the August recap covering special events, group sales, signups and web/social engagement, PR pickups, and preliminary tax and occupancy data; Tourism Economics/STR dashboards and a new reporting cadence were discussed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

VRMA presentation: professionally managed vacation rentals now account for majority of tourism tax base on South Padre Island

Greenhouse: summer digital campaign boosted site traffic and bookings; Expedia led OTA revenue

Visit South Padre Island executive director Blake Henry announces resignation, cites new leadership role

Visit South Padre Island monthly report: events, group sales and tourism metrics show summer strength