This is from an article by Channel 4 news here in the valley
New generation of Winter Texans on the decline
The number of winter Texans returning to the valley is on the decline and it's costing the local economy millions of dollars in lost revenue.
In the past two years the valley has lost about 30,000 winter Texans and if the region can't attract new retirees to replace them, it could lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
Lonny and Barbara Schuhmacher escaped the Minnesota winter and headed to the valley for the first time in 2007.
Like most winter Texans, it was the warm weather that brought them here.
"My body don't ache, my back don't hurt. My shoulders don't hurt," Lonny said.
Just two years later they made the Rio Grande valley their permanent home and began to manage Wilder RV Resorts.
"The parks embrace you like a family," Barbara said.
Director of the UTPA Business and Tourism Research Center, Penny Simpson says almost everyone who comes wants to return.
"I think it’s pretty rare you see a group of people who come to an area and 96 percent want to return,” Simpson said. “We should feel good about that.”
The number one reason they may not return is poor health.
And the average age of winter Texans continues to rise every year.
"Winter Texans are getting older and we have fewer first time winter Texans. Which clearly says new people aren't coming,” Simpson said.
In 2010, 144,000 winter Texans spent over $800 million, but in just four years that number fell to 100,000 winter Texans spending almost $100 million less.
Simpson says the numbers correlate to the South Texas Tourism Board’s halt in advertising in 2010.
"We just haven't been out marketing the valley. If you've never heard of us you’re never going to come and that's our biggest obstacle," Simpson said.
To attract new retirees Wilder RV Resorts is advertising in Canada and the upper Midwest but they aren't attracting baby boomers with card games.
"They want to be active, they want to go canoeing, go to the beach, go bicycling, they want to be active,” Barabara said.
Lonny says Space X could really help attract new, younger winter Texans.
"Not everybody has seen a lift off. I think people are going to come down to see that and it think it will help the valley out quite well,” Lonny said.
But it's not just the weather and the fun but the friendly people of the valley that will continue to bring them back.
"I think the term winter Texans says a lot. It says for the time that you're here a Texan,” Simpson said.
The winter Texan surveys for the study were completed well before the recent border crisis became a big national news story so the impact has yet to be seen.
While the Schuhmachers say they've received a lot of phone calls regarding the increase in illegal immigration, it has not prompted tenants in Wilder RV Resorts to cancel their trip this coming winter.
For the complete Winter Texan report click here.
New generation of Winter Texans on the decline
The number of winter Texans returning to the valley is on the decline and it's costing the local economy millions of dollars in lost revenue.
In the past two years the valley has lost about 30,000 winter Texans and if the region can't attract new retirees to replace them, it could lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
Lonny and Barbara Schuhmacher escaped the Minnesota winter and headed to the valley for the first time in 2007.
Like most winter Texans, it was the warm weather that brought them here.
"My body don't ache, my back don't hurt. My shoulders don't hurt," Lonny said.
Just two years later they made the Rio Grande valley their permanent home and began to manage Wilder RV Resorts.
"The parks embrace you like a family," Barbara said.
Director of the UTPA Business and Tourism Research Center, Penny Simpson says almost everyone who comes wants to return.
"I think it’s pretty rare you see a group of people who come to an area and 96 percent want to return,” Simpson said. “We should feel good about that.”
The number one reason they may not return is poor health.
And the average age of winter Texans continues to rise every year.
"Winter Texans are getting older and we have fewer first time winter Texans. Which clearly says new people aren't coming,” Simpson said.
In 2010, 144,000 winter Texans spent over $800 million, but in just four years that number fell to 100,000 winter Texans spending almost $100 million less.
Simpson says the numbers correlate to the South Texas Tourism Board’s halt in advertising in 2010.
"We just haven't been out marketing the valley. If you've never heard of us you’re never going to come and that's our biggest obstacle," Simpson said.
To attract new retirees Wilder RV Resorts is advertising in Canada and the upper Midwest but they aren't attracting baby boomers with card games.
"They want to be active, they want to go canoeing, go to the beach, go bicycling, they want to be active,” Barabara said.
Lonny says Space X could really help attract new, younger winter Texans.
"Not everybody has seen a lift off. I think people are going to come down to see that and it think it will help the valley out quite well,” Lonny said.
But it's not just the weather and the fun but the friendly people of the valley that will continue to bring them back.
"I think the term winter Texans says a lot. It says for the time that you're here a Texan,” Simpson said.
The winter Texan surveys for the study were completed well before the recent border crisis became a big national news story so the impact has yet to be seen.
While the Schuhmachers say they've received a lot of phone calls regarding the increase in illegal immigration, it has not prompted tenants in Wilder RV Resorts to cancel their trip this coming winter.
For the complete Winter Texan report click here.
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