RGV ten year trend

alfredmay wrote:



Regarding the question "what is there to do"? My friends in NJ ask me this all the time. My first answer is the resort is like a cruise ship that never moves. We have, shows, dances activities, pools, a restaurant, etc. My second answer is that this is not a dirty dusty backwater in the middle of nowhere. Current estimates put the American side of the RGV population at 1.3 million and the Mexican side has over 2 million. There is plenty to do.
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Here lies the answer as to why the trend in the RGV is downward. There are people that take cruises and never leave the ship. However, most people choose cruises based on the itinerary. Right or wrong, the Mexican border and border towns are viewed as impoverished and potentially dangerous. That means you can throw out the attraction of the Mexican side for many potential visitors. You can claim there is more to do in the RGV than the other snowbird hotspots, but to most people that is just not what they believe. There is no professional sports, no major college sports, no casinos or major entertainment venues. It is not noted for having fantastic golf courses, national parks fine dining or vibrant cities within a short drive. There are no major airports for either taking trips or easy access for people visiting. People envision it being exactly what you describe, RV parks that are pretty much both the place you park and where you do your recreation. That is just not appealing to many recent retirees. They have other visions of retirement. That is just the way it is.