39 Million Visitors a Year: How San Antonio Businesses Market to Tourists and Locals at the Same Time

Short answer: San Antonio welcomed 39.2 million visitors in 2024 and its tourism and hospitality industry produced a record $23.4 billion economic impact, according to Visit San Antonio. Restaurants made up nearly half of that impact. For restaurants, attractions, tours and shops, the opportunity is two audiences with different behavior: visitors search in the moment, often in Spanish, and rely on maps and AI recommendations; locals want reasons to come back. The best plans serve both without confusing either.

01The size of the visitor market

Visit San Antonio's 2025 annual report puts 2024 at 39.2 million domestic and international visitors and a $23.4 billion economic impact, supporting more than 150,000 local jobs. San Antonio Report notes that a typical year brings about 38 million visitors, with about 2 million coming from Mexico. Visit San Antonio says that's the highest number of Mexican visitors of any U.S. city.

The industry's own impact studies show that restaurants account for close to half of hospitality's economic impact. And tourism starts in earnest at spring break, according to Texas Public Radio, with big events and conventions filling the calendar from there.

How visitors find businesses

Visitors decide fast and mostly on their phones:

• Map searches near where they are: "tacos near River Walk", "rooftop bar downtown San Antonio".
• AI questions while planning: "best Tex-Mex near the Alamo that locals actually like".
• Short video: TikTok and Reels are now a travel-planning tool.
• Reviews and photos: recent, specific and plentiful.
• In Spanish: with millions of visitors from Mexico, Spanish-language search and content matter here more than almost anywhere else in the U.S.

How locals behave differently

Locals avoid tourist crowds, care about parking and value, and come back when they feel like insiders. They respond to loyalty offers, events, neighborhood pride and businesses that remember them.

A plan that serves both

1. Optimize for "near me" around visitor hotspots

Keep your Google Business Profile complete and active, with categories, photos and attributes that matter to visitors: outdoor seating, family-friendly, accepts reservations, walking distance to landmarks. Mention nearby landmarks naturally on your website.

2. Speak Spanish where visitors need it

Offer a Spanish version of your menu and key pages, respond to Spanish reviews in Spanish, and run Spanish ad sets for visitors from Mexico during peak travel periods.

3. Make your offering legible to AI

Clear text menus, prices, hours, reservation links and a short, honest description of what makes you different. That's what AI tools quote when recommending where to eat or what to do.

4. Use short video to show the experience

Show the view, the plate, the music, the people. Visitors are choosing an experience, not just a product. Our AI video and social service keeps a steady flow going without pulling your staff off the floor.

5. Turn locals into regulars

A simple list of local guests, a locals' night or offer during slower tourist weeks, and messaging that makes them feel like insiders. Time it for the quieter weeks so you smooth out seasonality.

6. Capture group and event inquiries fast

Conventions, weddings and reunions bring group bookings. Answer those inquiries within minutes with an AI agent that shares packages and books a call.

The bottom line

San Antonio's visitor economy is huge, but it rewards businesses that are easy to find in the moment, speak to visitors from Mexico and treat locals like regulars. See how we help San Antonio restaurants and hospitality businesses grow year-round, or read about our restaurant marketing.

Frequently asked questions

When is peak tourist season in San Antonio? Visitor traffic ramps up at spring break and stays strong through summer, with major events and conventions adding peaks throughout the year.

Should restaurants near the River Walk advertise to locals? Yes, especially during slower visitor weeks. Locals provide steady revenue that tourism alone can't.

Do Spanish-language ads make sense for San Antonio? Yes. San Antonio draws about 2 million visitors from Mexico a year, and a large share of local residents are bilingual.

Sources

• Visit San Antonio FY25 Annual Report, Visit San Antonio
• San Antonio visitor numbers, San Antonio Report
• Spring break marks the beginning of San Antonio's biggest tourism season, Texas Public Radio, March 2026
• San Antonio strengthens ties with Mexico, Visit San Antonio