After four years at the helm, Marc Anderson has stepped down from the role of president and CEO of Visit San Antonio.
As the official marketing organization for the city, Visit San Antonio promotes the city as a premier destination for leisure travel, conventions and meetings — a particularly big role for a city considering plans to revamp San Antonio’s urban core under Project Marvel, a $4 billion proposal for a new Spurs arena and entertainment district.
Anderson was named as the nonprofit organization’s leader in April 2021 and officially stepped into the role in June of that year. His tenure in San Antonio marked a strategic phase for the organization, which had transitioned from a city department to a nonprofit in 2017. The nonprofit still receives about two-thirds of its annual funding from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax.
Anderson’s departure was announced on Monday in a letter sent to the nonprofit’s business partners, a copy of which was obtained by the San Antonio Report. The letter, written by Mario Bass, who has stepped into the role as interim president and CEO, notes that Anderson decided not to renew his contract with Visit San Antonio and his last day was Friday, April 25.
“The Board’s Executive Committees fully trust Visit San Antonio’s talented team to continue making strong, positive impact on our city,” Bass wrote. “A nationwide search for Visit San Antonio’s President and CEO will begin immediately.”
Anderson did not return a request for comment on his exit.
His departure comes just weeks after the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and San Antonio Spurs took a significant first step toward making Project Marvel a reality by signing an initial, non-binding, agreement to relocate the San Antonio Spurs to a downtown arena and repurpose the Frost Bank Center.
The San Antonio Business Journal reported last month that Anderson said “it’s important … to take Project Marvel very seriously,” if the city wants to continue attracting huge events on par with the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
In an emailed statement sent to the Report, Visit San Antonio said they would like to thank Anderson for “helping our city’s vital tourism industry through the pandemic economic recovery.”
“Visit San Antonio has a talented team and senior leadership that will ensure the hospitality industry continues providing the more than $21.5 billion in annual economic impact and employs 1 in 8 San Antonians,” stated David Gonzalez, the nonprofit’s VP of media relations and communications.
When Anderson first stepped into the role, he brought with him nearly 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Previously, he served as chief operating officer at Choose Chicago, a similar tourism organization, and was selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants.
The selection committee, impressed by his bold ideas and successful track record —including bringing the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards from New York City to Chicago — viewed him as a strong leader to help San Antonio’s tourism and convention sectors recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anderson succeeded Casandra Matej, who had departed for a similar position in Orlando.
In a statement issued at the time, Anderson described San Antonio as a “vibrant community” positioned for significant growth, citing its pro-tourism and pro-business climate.
Under his leadership, Visit San Antonio continued to promote the city as a premier destination for leisure and business travel, maintaining partnerships with both public entities and private organizations. A recognized figure in national tourism circles, Anderson also held leadership roles with the U.S. Travel Association and Destinations International.
Key city indicators show the local tourism industry has largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 2023 study by Trinity University revealed that San Antonio’s tourism and hospitality industry exceeded key performance benchmarks in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels with a record-breaking economic impact of $19 billion, marking a 10% increase compared to the previous year.
The following year, the industry continued its upward trajectory, with hotel revenues, visitor numbers, and local spending all reaching new highs, further cementing Texas as a top destination for both domestic and international tourists.
