Dear Valued Partners:
The end of March marks the close of Q2 and the spring break season, during which the city saw an uptick in visitation. In fact, San Antonio ranked 2nd in occupancy among Texas markets and was above the Texas average the second week of spring break, as families from Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth travelled to San Antonio. Thank you to all our partners who helped make spring break in San Antonio a memorable one for our visiting families.
Additionally, I would like to congratulate the Visit San Antonio Marketing team and our collaborating partners for being recognized at the 2026 Advertising Federation Awards. The team brought home six Gold, six Silver, and four Bronze awards for their outstanding creativity and innovation in marketing and promoting San Antonio as a premier travel destination. Please join me in applauding some of the most talented destination marketing professionals in the industry.
Here are some highlights from the previous month:
The Monarch San Antonio Grand Opening: March kicked off with the grand opening of The Monarch San Antonio, Curio Collection by Hilton. This new luxury hotel in the city’s urban core brings 200 rooms and suites to the market, enhancing San Antonio’s ability to host meetings, conventions and leisure travelers alike.
New River Walk Royalty: San Antonio celebrated a vibrant St. Patrick’s River Day with the coronation of the 2026 River Walk Royal Court, who collectively raised a historic $150,000 for the San Antonio Hospitality Foundation. Congratulations to the 2026 River Walk Royalty.
Queen Monica Ortiz Felán
King Ricardo "Ricky" Ramirez
Princess Yesenia Frade
Prince Jonathan Colemere
Duchess Erica Valadez
Duke George Garnica
Countess Stacey Mazuca
Count Francisco M. Venegas
Viscount Taylor Abbott
Visit San Antonio Meetings Page: Visit San Antonio has a new meetings and conventions page on LinkedIn, created to connect meeting planners, event professionals and industry partners with valuable insights and inspiration. Follow Visit San Antonio Meetings to discover why planners continue to choose San Antonio for unforgettable meetings and conventions.
USCAP 115th Annual Meeting: The US & Canadian Academy of Pathology meeting was hosted at the Henry B. González Convention Center and brought together 4,500 pathology professionals, including physicians, researchers, and other industry experts. The expo floor featured 191 exhibitors representing more than 80 countries, a new record for the event. The meeting generated more than $11.6 million in local economic impact and supported over 1,800 local jobs.
Visit San Antonio, in partnership with Hennessy, will host a member event at Pearl Stable Hall on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 6 p.m. Register further down in the newsletter for your exclusive invite to attend, support and judge the best margarita competition featuring our local members: Big Aztec Corner Bar, Hard Rock, Sternewirth, Texas River Bar, Backyard on Broadway and Mad Dog British Pub. Additionally, a big THANK YOU to our members who are participating in the Puro Sabor Drink Trail and to the Visit San Antonio Membership Department for bringing both events to life. I hope to see you there!