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During the summer months of 1999, we conducted a study of the
participants of the 61st Texas International Fishing Tournament
held in
South Padre Island/ Port Isabel,
TX (July 28- August 1). Data collected previously at the 1983
TIFT will provide a longitudinal perspective on this tournament
and its participants. Study objectives are as follows: 1) to
profile the population of participants in the tournament
including their social and demographic characteristics, level of
overall fishing participation and involvement, tournament
fishing motivations, attitudes towards catching fish,
expenditure levels, and overall satisfaction with each event, 2)
to test for statistically significant group differences between
bay and offshore division anglers at the TIFT, and 3) to
determine the total economic impact (direct and indirect) of the
fishing tournament on their respective county and state
jurisdictions. Studies of fishing tournaments and
their participants are conducted by tournament sponsors for
various reasons. First, they are a useful means for
understanding current clientele in order to attract additional
participants through additional marketing efforts. Second, they
provide a useful means for evaluation and participant feedback
on events as planned. Third, they provide the basic
understanding the basic "what if" scenarios for future
tournament events. And fourth, because some tournaments are
conceived of as tourism or economic development tools in
addition to recreation attractions, there is the opportunity to
demonstrate the extent to which tournament events have a
positive economic stimulus on county and
state jurisdictions.
The TIFT study is being funded by the
Texas International Fishing Tournament, Inc. with additional
funding support provided by the
Texas Sea Grant College Program,
and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Executive Summary
There were 1,068 anglers registered at
the 1999 Texas International Fishing Tournament (TIFT); when 167
social (non-fishing) and boatmen division participants were
included, there were 1,235 participants overall. This has been
an increase of 55% and 67% in registered anglers and overall
participants, respectively, since the 1983 TIFT when a previous
angler study was completed (Ditton and Loomis 1985). A
seven-page mail survey was mailed to all registered adult
anglers in the bay division (301), offshore division (453) and
fly division (8) shortly after the tournament was held in August
1999. Overall, 463 surveys were returned with 25 reported as
undeliverable for an effective response rate of 63%. A telephone
check indicated there were no differences between respondents
and non-respondents in either division insofar as their levels
of overall expenditure for the 1999 TIFT.
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Less than a majority of
bay and offshore division anglers resided in Cameron
County, Texas. About 58% and 76% of these angler groups,
respectively, resided elsewhere in Texas or
out-of-state. |
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Most bay (68%) and
offshore (62%) anglers reported fishing was their most
important outdoor recreation activity. |
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On average, bay division
anglers fished significantly more (51 days) over the
previous 12 months than did offshore anglers (36 days).
On average, both groups of anglers were more avid than
the statewide population of saltwater anglers (18 days)
(Bohnsack and Ditton 1999). |
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Most bay (76%) and
offshore (80%) anglers reported they (or someone in
their households) owned a powerboat. The average length
of their longest boat was 20 feet and 30 feet for bay
and offshore anglers, respectively. |
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Both groups of anglers
participated in an average of six previous TIFT events
(excluding the 1999 TIFT). |
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Overall, 74% and 83% of
bay and offshore anglers reported they were very or
extremely satisfied with the 1999 TIFT. |
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Average
tournament-related expenditures (not including
tournament registration fees) by bay and offshore
division respondents were extrapolated to all bay
division anglers ($296,425) and offshore division
anglers ($980,664) in the 1999 TIFT. Overall
TIFT-related expenditures by locals and non-locals
totaled $1,277,089. |
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Overall 1999 tournament
fees ($67,975) were not included in the economic impact
assessment because a detailed analysis of where these
monies were spent by tournament officials would have
been required. Thus, estimates of total economic output
are conservative. To the extent that more of the
registration monies are spent locally, additional
economic output will occur in Cameron County. |
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Texas residents (not from
Cameron County) and non-residents of the state
participating in the TIFT bay division spent $181,541 in
the South Padre Island-Port Isabel area. Offshore
division anglers from the same two areas spent an
additional $646,090 for an overall expenditure (direct
economic impact) on the South Padre Island- Port Isabel
area of $827,631. This constitutes new monies to Cameron
County. |
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Major expenditures by bay
division anglers in the South Padre Island-Port Isabel
area were for lodging (23%), restaurant meals (16%),
boat repairs/ upgrades (10%), and groceries, snack
foods, and drinks (9%). |
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Major expenditures by
offshore division anglers in the South Padre Island-Port
Isabel area were for gas and oil for boat (16%), "other"
(14%), lodging (14%), and restaurant meals (10%). |
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Purchases made by 1999
TIFT anglers provide the basis for estimating total
economic impacts of the event. These initial economic
effects ripple through the economy leading to a total
impact that exceeds that of the original purchases by
anglers. When IMPLAN multipliers that averaged 1.75 were
applied to expenditures, additional output was generated
in the local economy. |
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The estimated $181,541 in
direct expenditures by non-Cameron County bay division
anglers for local goods and services generated an
additional $138,956 in economic output. This resulted in
a total economic output of $320,497 with 8 full-time
equivalent jobs in the recreational fishing sector. |
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The estimated $646,090 in
direct expenditures by offshore division anglers
(non-Cameron County residents) for local goods and
services generated an additional $490,557 in economic
output. This resulted in a total economic output of
$1,136,647 and 29 full-time equivalent jobs. |
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Overall, TIFT anglers in
the bay and offshore divisions (non-Cameron County
residents) spent $827,631 in the local area. This
resulted in an overall total economic output of
$1,457,144 and 37 full-time jobs. |
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Due to the small number
of non-residents (n=14) who come to Texas to fish in the
Texas International Fishing Tournament, their
expenditures in Cameron County and elsewhere in Texas
were of little economic consequence. |
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