Visit South Padre Island reports higher spring-break occupancy, targets Texas drive markets in summer campaign

Blake Henry, representing Visit South Padre Island (VISIT SBI), briefed the council on spring-break and Easter visitation, partner impacts and the tourism office’s marketing plan for summer 2025.

Henry said vacation-rental occupancy averaged 80 percent over spring break — a 15.3 percent increase from 2024 — and motel occupancy averaged 76 percent, about 6.25 percent higher than in 2024. He said VISIT SBI conducted more than 600 visitor surveys over spring break and that the destination saw notable increases in family visitors from Houston and first-time visitors from markets such as New York, Minnesota and Connecticut. Henry also reported partner-level increases: Sea Turtle Inc. saw a 30 percent increase from last year, and restaurant and food-and-beverage receipts were reported up as well.

“Spring break 2025 at South Padre Island spanned two weeks of great weather and notable growth in vacation rental occupancy,” Henry said. He added that a popular convention-center concert drew about 3,800 attendees and that hotel tax revenue for March—Henry said, “our hotel occupancy sat at 1,400,000, I believe, which beat the city's budget”—contributed to a stronger month overall.

Henry said VISIT SBI onboarded a new agency of record, Greenhouse, and launched a summer campaign on April 1 that prioritizes the Texas drive market (Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and nearby Central Texas markets) to convert interest into bookings using trackable digital media and partnerships (including activations with the San Antonio Spurs and Austin FC). He said Mexico remains a targeted market, especially for Easter and shoulder-season travel.

Councilmembers asked for a breakdown of the survey data; Henry said he would share more detailed results at an upcoming “Coffee and Conversation” event with the Chamber. No action was required or taken; the council thanked Henry for the briefing.