Spotlight On: Mario Bass, President & CEO, Visit San Antonio

November 2025 — Mario Bass, president and CEO of Visit San Antonio, talked to Invest: about the many factors contributing to the city’s consistent growth. “San Antonio has a strong history of investment that produces a high rate of return. From a meetings and tourism standpoint, San Antonio has always been a steady destination,” he said.

How are you approaching the transition from strategic lead to president, and what priorities are you carrying forward from your previous roles?

We are cautiously optimistic as we move forward in promoting San Antonio as a premier travel destination. Economic headwinds reported in the news are guiding Visit San Antonio’s current priorities. In 2025, we started to see disruption in the marketplace on both the leisure and meetings sides. The organization is getting back to our core business model: selling and marketing the destination. We’re focused on “putting heads in beds” and ensuring everything we do is driving Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) and sales tax to the destination. We want to see a strong group base in the destination. We are realigning our priorities to ensure that they achieve our core mission.

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What external changes have you noticed over the past year in travel trends and regional infrastructure developments?

The largest external force is economic uncertainty, which will influence what people buy. People are still coming, but there have been fewer travelers. Our international numbers are down about 10% for 2025 compared to 2024. The main international markets driving the majority of demand are Canada and Mexico, with Mexico leading the way with almost 2 million visitors. As an organization, we are focusing our efforts on where we will have the biggest impact—our regional and nearby international markets, and finding a strong group base. A strong group base will take out the volatility associated with the leisure traveler, who is more susceptible to economic uncertainties. Leisure is a more fickle market segment, one that is critical to the success of our destination. There are more than 40 million Texans in our backyard who can drive here, creating a strong regional market.

What makes San Antonio attractive to tourists, investors, and businesses?

Individuals and developers are still building hotels. The community is investing in a new convention and entertainment district. Like any investment, it’s not about what’s happening in the marketplace today, but what’s happening in the future. San Antonio has a strong history of investment that produces a high rate of return. From a meetings and tourism standpoint, San Antonio has always been a steady destination. This point is not lost on investors. What makes San Antonio special for the group customer, which drives a lot of investment, is its central location to the rest of the United States. Our walkable downtown campus for meetings and conventions is a big draw, with over 4,000 hotel rooms within a several-block radius. The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center is within walking distance. The San Antonio River Walk is known colloquially as “The World’s Largest Hotel Lobby.” Seventy percent of our visitation comes from leisure. We have many attractions, including the Alamo, River Walk, theme parks, a rich and historic culinary scene, and the Pearl District. Consumer sentiment in summer 2024 was positive. Even with the economic uncertainty, travelers still chose to travel, but stayed closer to home. This bodes well for San Antonio.

What is it about the culture in San Antonio that makes travelers feel immersed in the city?

One of San Antonio’s top tourism assets is its people. We have a warm heart and an authentic culture that we convey to visitors. We like to say, “Every Texan has two homes: where they’re from, and San Antonio.” We are always warm and welcoming, which enhances the city’s experience. The 300-year history of the city resonates with visitors. Authenticity is a powerful attractor for visitors, and San Antonio provides that with our UNESCO World Heritage at the Alamo and National Park Service Missions. The Alamo site is undergoing redevelopment to be brought back to its original place of history and gravitas, giving it a stronger sense of place within the city. Paired with the River Walk and UNESCO World Culinary designation, the city offers an experience with soul.

How are the enhancements at San Antonio International Airport supporting your goals?

Post-pandemic, the airport has added 10 new destinations, including significant expansion throughout Mexico. San Luis Potosi and Morelia are two notable recent additions. We are up to 48 nonstop flights from other destinations into the city. With a new terminal, we are adding 18 more gates, which will significantly increase our capacity and double the square footage of the airport. These developments are critical for supporting future tourism and economic development of the city. This infrastructure supports San Antonio’s status as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

How is Visit San Antonio helping businesses develop the local workforce?

Tourism is one of the Top 4 economic drivers for San Antonio. About 150,000 San Antonians are employed in the service industry. We work closely with the city of San Antonio, local education institutions, hotel partners, and greater:SATX to maintain the talent pipeline. Hospitality is a place for many people to start their careers, even if they don’t stay in the industry. It’s also a place where many people finish their careers. We can fill the full career spectrum and workforce gaps.

Are there any additional partnerships beyond the typical tourism core that you use to enhance the visitor experience?

We emphasize a high level of collaboration between Visit San Antonio and the other resources in the city, not only to impact tourism but also to impact the investment and economic development of the region. We focus on intentional partnerships with the city, the San Antonio Hotel Lodging Association, the Visitor Alliance, Centro Antonio, and greater:SATX. Our collaborative decisions balance business and community impact. The tourism landscape is becoming more and more competitive every year. Investors going into Austin, Dallas, and Houston are investing heavily in tourism and creating more competition. We have to be intentional on how, as a destination, we elevate the reputation of San Antonio.

What impact will the Sports & Entertainment District project have on Visit San Antonio?

The Sports & Entertainment District project is a top priority and presents a game-changing opportunity for group and convention business and events, drawing leisure travelers. We’re particularly excited about adding 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, allowing us to go after large groups. There is also the addition of a ballroom and breakout rooms. This opportunity will enable the pursuit of $1 billion in new group business.

Want more? Read the Invest: San Antonio report.