Vacation rentals up on SPI because families want to ‘stay in their bubble’

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – Tourism on South Padre Island is rebounding well following COVID-19 but how people take their vacation is changing. Vacation homes are in greater demand because they allow families to maintain the “bubble” they were in during the pandemic.This is the view of Ed Caum, executive director of SPI’s convention and visitors bureau, and Tom Goodman, a real estate broker on SPI. Both gave their analysis of the current tourism boom in an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian. “Some of the biggest increases we have seen in the collection of hotel tax is within the vacation rental business. That is happening not just exclusively here, it is happening in beach destinations and national parks,” Caum said.“We are seeking a change. People who had not been exposed to vacation rentals, over the period of Covid, if they had not tried it before they are trying it now and they are liking it. We are seeing multi-generational families coming together.”Goodman said there was and is pent up demand for vacations, following the pandemic. However, he said the type of holidays people are taking is changing. “What is more interesting in my mind, rather than just say we have this huge increase in numbers, is to delve into why, what is it that is changing about the traveling public. In my opinion, what we have seen with the pandemic is about a five-year leap ahead of where we were in the travel industry out here on South Padre Island, much of attributed to vacation rentals,” Goodman said. Goodman said the number of visitors SPI had in March of this year was better than the numbers for 2019, 2018 and 2017.“Yet, interestingly enough, we did not have an increase in bridge crossings. What happened? Vacation rentals, we were seeing a much higher average daily rate. People are coming in spending more money, on the island for a family, staying in vacation rentals.”Goodman continued: “People have been attracted to vacation rentals because it has been an escape from the crowded hotels. They can distance themselves in vacation rentals.”Caum agreed. He said families were encouraged to stay in their “family bubble” during the pandemic and that mindset has continued.Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian website.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.