CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Editor's note: The above video is from a previous report on Corpus Christi tourism.
We love where we live! And so do tourists around the world.
Tourism Sentiment Index released their 2023 edition of "Leading Places: The 100 Most Loved Destinations Around the World" and Corpus Christi was ranked number 53, joining other Texas cities Dallas and Austin in the top 100.
The Sparking City by the Sea beat out top destinations like French Polynesia, Niagara Falls, Dubai, and Santorini, Greece.
“This is another example of how fortunate we are to live in Corpus Christi because it shows that people want to be here,” said Brett Oetting, President and CEO of Visit Corpus Christi. “Every year millions of people choose to visit Corpus Christi and this ranking shows that they leave happy and fulfilled.”
The Leading Places list is based off of consumer sentiment – what people really feel. Tourism Sentiment Index looked over more than 1.6 billion online conversations and content pieces publicly available about 21,330 global destinations to identify the 100 Most Loved Destinations.
Visit Corpus Christi has recently expanded tourism campaigns to bring visitors to the Sparkling City by the Sea, and get them to stay and contribute to local businesses while they do.
"The last three years have seen record highs in overnight stays and number of visitors that have attended Corpus Christi, so we're continuing to ride that wave," said Oetting.
Visit Corpus Christi was recognized twice at the HSMAI Adrian Awards -- taking home gold for campaign marketing, and silver for innovative campaigning.
Their team told 3NEWS that winning the awards against 600 other organizations nationwide puts Corpus Christi on the map as the Gulf Coast Capital.
“Corpus Christi is proud to be named one of the most loved destinations in the world,” said Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo. “With our breathtaking Bayfront and natural resources, our city is excited to welcome visitors from around the world.”