About Us
Marco A. Barros
President/CEO
San Antonio Area Tourism Council
Marco A. Barros is the first executive director of the San Antonio Area Tourism Council. The Tourism Council is a private sector organization comprised of hotels, attractions, museums, car rental agencies, airlines, restaurants, transportation companies, tour operators, meeting planners, vendors and suppliers to the industry and other enterprises that rely on tourists directly or indirectly for all or part of their business.
The mission of the tourism council is "to promote and support the development of the visitor industry while preserving and enhancing the special character of the city and surrounding area." Barros has worked in various facets of the tourism industry and media, including experience in airlines, tour and charter companies, retail and international operations.
He has been a resident of San Antonio since the pre-opening of Rivercenter Mall in 1987. He developed the Grand Opening and marketing plans for this successful downtown center. He spent three years working for American Airlines as a sales consultant developing
Bureaunew marketing programs for several new routes. He created several tour packages for Gray Line Tours of San Antonio and successfully exceeded over $2 million in charter sales for the local transit company.
Photo courtesy of San Antonio Convention & Visitors
He has traveled extensively in Latin America from Chile to Mexico and Canada assisting various businesses to set up operations and conducting research on new ventures. He set up Mexico Express in Monterrey, Mexico for the San Antonio Express-News, a direct marketing program to deliver catalogues and marketing brochures to affluent homes in Mexico door to door.
|
Our industry continues to grow very strong with over 94,000 employees and an overall economic impact of $8.7 billion. The tourism industry plays a major role as a source of revenues for the city, county, other agencies and school districts. In 2004, it brought over $161 million to these governmental agencies. Most important, the tourism industry brings over $14 million to community giving every year in the form of in-kind, cash donations and volunteer time.
- Marco A. Barros, President/CEO
|
Barros is active in the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Advisory Commission for the Convention Center Expansion, the Advisory Commission of the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Texas Travel Industry Association (TTIA), the Tourism Advisory Committee of the Texas Department of Economic Development and is a member of the Rotary Club of San Antonio.
Barros often speaks to area organizations on marketing programs, how to do business in Latin America and opportunities to reach the Mexican consumer.