Thousands of Winter Texans flock to south Texas every year.

Between lodging and food, they bring more to the area than just their RVs and trailers.

“They buy gas, they buy groceries, they buy furniture, they buy vehicles, they support our medical industry,” Welcome Home RGV CEO Kristi Collier said. “They're spending money the entire time they are here."

According to Collier, Winter Texans brought $1.9 billion dollars to the Valley’s economy last year. 

Collier said Winter Texans are arriving sooner and in more numbers than before. 

“We had some really cold blasts up in the Midwest and Canada," Collier said. “We’re also anticipating a number of new people, people who maybe were just been displaced from the Florida hurricane, so we're seeing a lot of interest in South Texas."

Welcome Home RGV said they hope to attract more retirees, and keep them coming back in the future. 

It’s a decision winter Texan Doris Dougherty said she was happy to make. She said she just started her six-month stay in the Valley.

“It’s nice to go over to South Padre and spend some time there, and just the friendliness and closeness here in our park," Dougherty said.

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