Summer Outreach

The summer marketing plan includes a variety of special initiatives that will expand the brand message.

  • Celebrity host Mario Lopez and the production crew of TV show Food Quest visited San Antonio June 6-8 to film the a that will air on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. They interviewed chefs Johnny Hernandez, Jason Dady, Elizabeth Johnson and Steve McHugh and Phillipe Place of Southerleigh.
  • Working with partner Travel Mindset, Marketing selected five family travel bloggers to come to San Antonio June 28-30. They will visit San Antonio assets and highlight the city as an urban traveling family destination through video, blog posts and social media. In addition, they invited their followers to San Antonio at the same time for an “Instameet” at Yanaguana Garden. To amplify the effort and maximize reach, Travel Mindset scheduled an additional six influencers to share the messaging with their followers on social media.
  • A program with Fox Sports Southwest communicates the San Antonio message during Texas Ranger Games. This effort reaches fans in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana through TV spots, animated billboards and ticker flows during the game, as well as social media posts on Fox Sports Southwest Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.
  • As part of a cable TV buy, NCC (National Cable Company) is running a San Antonio summer sweepstakes June 10-July 8. The sweeps will be promoted through 30 second promotional spots (approximately 875) that will run across networks in the cable buy and will drive consumers to a customized microsite for details on prizing.  This effort will deliver approximately 1.1 million impressions.  
  • The July issue of Houstonia magazine will include a 6-page section devoted to San Antonio, including images and editorial about new things to see and do in the city. Summer co-op partners have special spotlights.

In addition to these efforts, an intensive marketing effort is underway to drive summer travel. More than 360,000,000 impressions are reaching consumers through digital advertising, social media, print, email, streaming radio and TV, and cable and network TV through August. The persona-based campaign reaches the target audiences efficiently through behavioral targeting. A Summer Sweepstakes will run from June 28 to August 4. With funds from the newly established TPID, Marketing enhanced the summer plan increasing digital marketing, incorporating more video, adding to the SEM and paid social media efforts, including native and influencer marketing, expanding TV reach from 14 to 30 markets, including programmatic network TV, adding innovative OOH units, and including a streaming radio partner. Efforts are focused on Texas with reach also in the touch states and key national markets.

VisitSanAntonio.TV

An exciting, new component for marketing San Antonio will be a VisitSanAntonio.TV network. This network will offer a series of original shows featuring real people whose stories capture the heart and soul of San Antonio. Consumers will be able to immerse themselves in the destination in ways that are engaging and easily shareable through social channels. All stories will be authentic and informative and will represent San Antonio’s heritage, family, arts and culinary scenes. Outreach for storytellers will happen late June/early July. Stay tuned for more details.

Rio Grande Valley Consumer Events

The Marketing/Communications/Tourism teams are executing a consumer event in the Rio Grande Valley at La Plaza Mall in McAllen, Texas June 28-29. The event will excite people to learn what’s new and come to San Antonio for a summer vacation. Digital advertising, social media, billboards and radio spots have promoted the event.

International Outreach

Digital marketing in Mexico and Canada is pushing summer travel. Media partners in Mexico include Agency Trading Desk (programmatic, Device ID, paid social media, SEM), El Norte.com, Travel+Leisure.com, Quien.com, Life&Style.com, Marcobeteta.com, SpotX, TripAdvisor, Facebook and Google Search. Print partners include El Norte (Monterrey) and Club Mural (Guadalajara). Partners in Canada include Agency Trading Desk (programmatic, Device ID, paid social media, SEM), The Weather Network, TripAdvisor, and SpotX. San Antonio as a cultural destination is also promoted through digital media in Canada, the UK, Germany and Australia.

Awareness & Image Studies

A bi-annual Awareness & Image market research study is being conducted in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to measure awareness and image of San Antonio as a vacation destination among leisure travelers. Results will help inform changes in destination awareness, appeal and advertising awareness since the 2017 study.

Meetings Website

Content and design development are underway for a new Meetings website. The new website will be more visual, similar to the Leisure website and will streamline navigation to best meet meeting professionals’ needs.

District Tours

Marketing is participating in tours of each district to learn from City Council leaders about some of each district’s hidden gems. The team will then incorporate the information into the website, social media and other channels.

Events Drive Visits

Consumers want to know what’s happening, and the Events section of the website is heavily trafficked. With the new website, this section is more engaging than ever. Don’t forget to add your events to VisitSanAntonio.com here. Also, the Submit an Event link now appears at the bottom of every page of the new VisitSanAntonio.com to make it easier for you. You do not have to be a Visit San Antonio member to add events.

Maps & Guides

Your customers might appreciate a copy of our convenient Tearaway Map showing the downtown and metro areas or our handy Dining & Nightlife Guides. If you would like a supply, please contact Visit San Antonio’s front desk at 210-244-2000.