SAN ANTONIO—National Travel and Tourism Week 2023 (NTTW) kicks off May 7-13, and Visit San Antonio is raising awareness of the impact of San Antonio’s tourism and hospitality industry. The city of San Antonio will issue a proclamation in observance of the 40th annual NTTW. It will recognize Visit San Antonio’s many contributions to promoting and marketing the Alamo City nationally and internationally. The proclamation will be read at the City Council Meeting Thursday, May 11, at 9 a.m., where Visit San Antonio will launch its first-ever collegiate endowments, benefiting scholarships for culinary and tourism students at St. Philip’s College and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

“San Antonio’s homegrown chefs and hospitality leaders have a well-earned pride of being able to share their talent with a city that has shaped them into who they are today. They are products of a diverse, culturally rich community, and tell the San Antonio story through the stunning flavors of their food and caring for guests,” said Marc Anderson, President and CEO of Visit San Antonio. “We want to encourage the next generation of great chefs from San Antonio or the next hotel General Manager and remove the barriers keeping them from accomplishing their dreams.”

Issued through Visit San Antonio’s nonprofit, The San Antonio Hospitality Foundation, the endowments will be over $20,000 for each institution and cultivate San Antonio’s diverse and thriving culinary scenes and tourism industry by offering students the opportunity to earn a degree and build a meaningful career in tourism and hospitality, which is one of the largest industries in the country.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, travel and tourism generated $2.9 trillion in economic output in 2019 and supported 17 million jobs. San Antonio’s tourism and hospitality industry is the region’s third largest economic driver, generating more than $16 billion in local economic impact and supporting more than 128,000 jobs in 2021.

“It is important for the country to know the great impact travel and tourism has on local economies,” said Anderson. “When we move travel forward, we invigorate travelers to explore bolder and visit hidden gem destinations, such as San Antonio, which has just as much to offer as larger cities.”

For more information go to, https://www.visitsanantonio.com/nttw/.