The prospect of a direct service between the UK and San Antonio continues to be “heavily pursued” but its introduction might be more distant than previously hoped, according to the president and chief executive of Visit San Antonio.
During IPW in May last year, Marc Anderson (pictured) said he was targeting the announcement of direct flights “within the next 12 to 18 months”.
Giving an update this week, Anderson revealed that the projected timeline had probably been lengthened because of the introduction of a Frankfurt service with Condor from May 17.
“I would say right now we’re probably better off focusing on the Condor flight for the next 12 months and then we’ll revisit the UK [flights] in 2025 or 2026,” Anderson said.
He added that a direct service from the UK continues to be “heavily pursued”.
In the absence of a direct link, Anderson said UK travellers still have a “very convenient” journey to San Antonio via Houston or Dallas.
San Antonio received around 36,000 visitors from the UK before the pandemic, with the city now targeting 60,000 or more by the end of 2026.
It is promoting itself as a year-round destination offering many family-friendly and affordable experiences.
“You’re looking at a price that’s probably around half or a third of what you would spend in Florida,” said Anderson.