World Travel Market & Sales Calls
In an effort to increase awareness of San Antonio as a top leisure destination to the United Kingdom, Tourism Development staff conducted sales calls with the United Airlines U.K., to London-based Tour Operators. The sales calls included visits to USAirtours/Travelplanners, Travelopia (Hayes & Jarvis), STA Travel, BA Holidays, America As You Like It and Trailfinders. As a part of our U.K. co-op marketing plan with Visit Houston, we also kicked off a business-to-business and business-to-consumer campaign through USAirtours/Travelplanners on Halloween. The event took place at All Bar One Chering Cross, with USAirtours staff, trade and PR clients, and kicked off the marketing campaign. It was also timely for us to dress in Dia de los Muertos costumes and to discuss the celebrations back home. In addition, staff attended World Travel Market (WTM), where staff participated in both group and individual meetings for a total of 21 appointments. The individual appointments were with UK tour operators and the US Commercial Service. The Tourism Development staff was accompanied by Brian Pratte, San Antonio International Airport Air Service Administrator. For more information about WTM and the European market, please contact Francisco Gallegos at franciscogallegos@visitsanantonio.com.
Boomer’s in Groups
Tourism Development Staff attended Boomer’s in Groups from Oct. 26 – 27 in Franklin, Tenn. This is the first time that Visit San Antonio has been a delegate at the conference. This conference is a part of the Group Travel Family Network, which includes 25,000 North American travel influencers, the grass-roots organizers of travel. They have millions of travel followers, including boomers, banks, faith-based, African-American, meeting planners and the traveling mature market. The objective of our participation was to increase awareness of San Antonio as a top leisure destination to various travel planners to ensure San Antonio’s product is considered. Staff conducted 31 individual travel planner meetings, and 22 of those showed interest in booking San Antonio. Follow-up with these clients is under way. If you are interested in Boomer’s in Groups, please contact Alex Gonzales at alexgonzales@visitsanantonio.com.
Australia & United Airlines Australia Familiarization Trip
At the end of October, we will be hosting a group from Australia that will include Travel Texas Australia, United Airlines Australia and six sales staff from various agencies nationwide. This will be their first time visiting San Antonio, and our efforts will help them find opportunities to produce further itineraries outside of the international gateway cities. United Airlines has recently launched their Sydney-to-Houston intercontinental route. Australians and travelers from New Zealand now have several options to consider when traveling to Texas, including Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand. As a long-haul destination from Australia, travelers from the country rely heavily on the travel trade to help with trip planning, especially as it relates to beyond the international gateway cities.
Spurs game in Mexico City on Dec. 14, 2019
Staff is spearheading a consumer and trade promotion in Mexico City, centered around the San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns game on Dec. 14. It is part of NBA week in Mexico City. Visit San Antonio is coordinating with the Mexico City Arena to contract two suites to be used by Tourism Development and Communications for inviting Mexico VIP travel trade and media guests. In addition, the Visit San Antonio destination video will be shown throughout the arena, prior, during and after the game. Areas showcasing the video include all the arena common areas, the scoreboard and on one of the exterior walls of the area.