Record Summer Tourism Numbers Reported at Texas State Aquarium
July 16, 2019
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – It’s been less than two years since Hurricane Harvey swept through Corpus Christi, but summer travelers already appear to be returning to the Coastal Bend in full force, with record numbers of guests reported at the Texas State Aquarium in June and July. It’s a promising sign that recovery for the local tourism industry, once believed to be years off, is already well on the way.
Aquarium attendance was 13 percent higher in June 2019 than June 2018, and so far, July attendance is 16 percent above the same period last year. July 5 also saw record attendance numbers for that date, with more than 5,400 guests stopping by the Aquarium to get a look at sharks, dolphins, flamingos, seahorses, and 500 other species, catch a show in the Whataburger 4D Theater, frolic in the H-E-B Splash Park, and soak up the sights of the jungle and underwater reefs in the Aquarium’s newest experience, Caribbean Journey.
Road construction in the area, including repairs to North Beach’s roads and on the developing Harbor Bridge Project, didn’t appear to dampen visitation to the Aquarium at all.
Tom Schmid, President & CEO, credits the swell in attendance to the Coastal Bend’s continuing post-Harvey recovery and a new campaign that reached travelers across Texas. The “Save More Than Memories” campaign highlights how Aquarium visitors not only get to connect with nature on their visit but also protect it. That’s because, through their attendance, visitors to the nonprofit aquarium are supporting animal care, wildlife rescue and wildlife conservation programs.
That message seems to be resonating with Texans in the state’s largest cities. The strongest growth of visitors to Aquarium is summer has been from Austin, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, and Houston.
The Texas State Aquarium is open daily through summer, with hours of 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. through September 2. Access to all exhibits, wildlife presentations, the Whataburger 4D Theater, and H-E-B Splash Park, plus parking, is included with admission. Discounted tickets can be purchased online at www.texasstateaquarium.org.