1.3 million visitors at San Antonio Missions spent $104 million in community, NPS says

Visitors supported 1,640 jobs, benefitted local economy by $165M

Mission San Jose, a part of Hispanic heritage in San Antonio. (Pixabay 2020)

The San Antonio Missions saw thousands of visitors who poured $104 million into the community last year, according to the National Park Service.

In a report released this week, NPS said that travelers’ spending last year supported 1,640 local jobs and benefitted the local economy by $165 million.

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The Alamo City is home to Missions Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada, located on the South Side along the San Antonio River.

Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Alamo, is managed by The Alamo Endowment, not the NPS.

“National parks are a vital part of our nation’s economy, especially for park gateway communities where millions of visitors each year find a place to sleep, eat, and explore,” Superintendent Christine Jacobs said in a press release.

“At San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, we welcome visitors from across the country to learn the story of this place and take in the experiences it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all the cultural richness it offers.”

The press release states that the local economic benefit from visitors to San Antonio Missions increased 30% from the year prior.

Across Texas, visitors at national parks spent $370.5 million in the state last year, resulting in 5,412 jobs.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.