Roundtable Meeting Offers Ideas To Boost Business Climate

By R. Daniel Cavazos

Island Matters president and editor George Block, foreground, leads a discussion on ways to improve the business climate on South Padre Island.

An SPI Business Roundtable hosted by Island Matters on July 12 drew representatives from over two dozen locally owned businesses along with leaders of nonprofit organizations.

George Block, the president and editor of Island Matters, described the meeting as one where ideas could be shared and implemented on “what we can do to improve the business climate on the Island.”

“What are the obstacles, the impediments, and how do we remove them?”

It was a question Block posed to the participants at the beginning of the hour-long meeting that was conducted in the Island Matters conference room.  It led to a lively and positive discussion from those gathered with some key bullet points identified.

Improving the Island tourist and visitor experience by boosting hospitality awareness headlined the list.  Another key issue mentioned was consistent code enforcement by South Padre Island City government that would make it easier to open and maintain businesses.  Upgrading cross marketing internally among local businesses and building a business registry also drew widespread support at the meeting. 

Participants also mentioned how social media is used and how it could be better utilized by the local business community.  A social media site or page run and managed in a unified fashion by local businesses – possibly a Facebook page – would be an effective way to improve messaging and marketing to tourists who are considering an Island visit, the participants said. 

The business representatives at the meeting agreed that the overall visitor experience is critically important in a tourist-based economy. 

“No person comes to the Island for just one thing,” said Carlos Cantu of The Painted Marlin Grille.  “It’s the overall experience, so we need to provide a consistently good experience for visitors by providing really good accommodations and hospitality.”

Tourists and visitors are getting out-and-about more freely and consistently in coming out of COVID-19 restrictions and fears, the participants agreed, and it’s a pivotal time for the Island in that regard.

“We have a great opportunity to get them back here,” Cantu said.

Focusing On Key Issues

A list was compiled and posted on the conference room wall, with a recommendation to focus on the most important issues in moving forward.

“Let’s pick one or two things and not get scattered,” said JoAnn Evans, the director of El Paseo Arts.  “If that’s No. 1, let’s work on it.”

Representatives from small businesses and nonprofit organizations offered a number of suggestions on how the business climate on the Island can be improved.

Number one, it was agreed, was improving the hospitality experience across all businesses.  The South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau already offers a free eight-hour hospitality course, which is evenly split between classroom sessions and field visits.  The roundtable participants agreed to work with the CVB on the course to see if it can be improved and to commit in sending at least one employee per business to take the course.

Improving hospitality services across the Island will help build awareness regarding the diverse tourist base SPI serves.  It includes birders, Winter Texans, college students, sport fishermen, family-oriented tourists from other parts of the Rio Grande Valley and Texas, and Mexican nationals.  The mix of visitors from different sources and interests provides for strong seasons in the spring and summer months.  The ongoing challenge is to build business in the offseason fall and winter months.

Block had a recommendation that was met with support from the roundtable participants.

“We have the opportunity to shift form a seasonal economy to a year-round one where we can become an arts community,” Block said. 

The Art Business Incubator on South Padre Island has been at the forefront of those efforts in recent years.  The incubator offers free studio workspace for aspiring artists along with monthly stipend as they test their products in the market and receive business training courses.  Evans has been a leader in these efforts as the Island works to market itself as a beach destination that is also an arts destination.

The participants agreed to meet quarterly to assess progress made on goals. 

Block said Island Matters would continue to publish a weekly events calendar and play a leading role in formulating a business registry.  Some of the participants stated they believe Island Matters can play a key role in sharing information and be a focal point in reporting and featuring local businesses and community events.

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