Archive for May, 2009

Lavender Festivals

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 posted by Arthur Coulombe in Destination, Resort Updates

May is the beginning of the Texas Hill Country lavender season. Many of our local farms are gearing up for their busiest and most exciting time of the year. Becker Vineyards held its 11th annual lavender festival two weekends ago. The festival showcased the best of local artists, chefs, artisans, and growers. Vendors included Shayne Sauce, makers of homemade pastas and jams; Miller Creek Lavender, producers of all things lavender including margarita mix; Al’s Gourmet Nuts, producers of delicious lavender pecans, and many others.  Our next festival is the Blanco Lavender Festival June 12 – 14th, 2009.  I’m looking forward to taking the short 40 minute drive up to Blanco and enjoying this annual event with my family.

 

Although we received a bit of much needed rain on the first day of the festival, it was a great weekend to be outdoors and enjoying the Hill Country. Becker Vineyards was serving a limited release red wine called “Raven” that was truly delicious.   After taking in the Becker Lavender Festival we drove over to Fredericksburg, stopping by in Stonewall, the peach capital of Texas.  Although the peach harvest is expected to be much smaller this year, due to a late season frost, we were still able to enjoy some incredible fresh peaches and of course, homemade peach ice cream.  Driving over to Fredericksburg, we spent a few hours walking along Main Street of this quaint, historic German town.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Hondo’s .  My family and friends really enjoy this restaurant and its outdoor beer garden.  Those of you who know me can probably guess what I ordered; yes, a bacon jalapeno cheeseburger…medium rare.

 

Once you discover the Texas Hill Country, it stays with you. As we prepare to open the resort in early 2010, it’s exciting to think of all the people who will be traveling here for the first time. I know you and your family will enjoy it as much as I do with my family.

 

San Antonio: It’s all about Warm Hearts…Authentic Culture

 

 

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2009 Valero Texas Open

Thursday, May 21, 2009 posted by Arthur Coulombe in Golf Course, Resort Updates

 

Congratulations to 2009 Valero Texas Open Champion Zach Johnson. He defended his 2008 title in dramatic fashion, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt in a one-hole playoff.

 

The back-to-back champion gets a chance to make it a three-peat next year as the 2010 Valero Texas Open comes to the TPC San Antonio. The two courses designed by golf legends Pete Dye and Greg Norman will be located right here at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

 

Seeing the energy and enthusiasm that San Antonio has for this 87-year-old event makes us proud to be able to open our doors to the golfing world as it descends on San Antonio for this premier contest.

 

We look forward to welcoming you to the new JW Marriott when we open next January.  I know we’ll all want to be here in May when the tournament kicks off a new page in its storied history and Zach Johnson shoots for three in a row.

 

San Antonio is all about Warm Hearts…Authentic Culture

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National Travel & Tourism Week

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 posted by Arthur Coulombe in Meetings & Events, Resort Updates

As a long time resident of San Antonio I know that most people in Texas and the Southwest think of San Antonio as a great vacation destination, which is a great compliment for our city.

It’s especially relevant now because we are in the middle of National Travel and Tourism Week. This week was designated back in 1983 to celebrate all that travel and tourism does for local and national economies.

Think about it: You go out to eat and you spend money locally. That’s nice, but it’s local money being circulated through the local economy. Now, someone from elsewhere comes here for business or pleasure, and they end up spending money in restaurants, at tourist attractions and at hotels. That’s NEW money coming into the local economy.

According to the Travel Industry Association of America, travel and tourism is a $1.7 trillion dollar industry in the United States. Travel and tourism generates $115 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments. Without that tax revenue, each household would pay $988 in additional taxes.

It’s easy to take for granted a lot of the things that make San Antonio so special for travelers. So when family or friends come to visit, enjoy the city as a visitor would; a barge cruise on the River Walk, tour one of the wineries just north of San Antonio, join in one of the upcoming lavender festivals, or find a new favorite restaurant, and enjoy our city as a visitor would.  Travel enriches our lives.  I look forward to visiting with you when travel brings you to every Texan’s 2nd home, San Antonio!

 

 

San Antonio is all about Warm Heart…Authentic Culture!

 

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Creating an unforgettable experience in San Antonio

Wednesday, May 06, 2009 posted by Arthur Coulombe in Meetings & Events, Resort Updates

We’re striving to create an unforgettable experience for all visitors to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Spa and Resort. And while “spa” and “resort” are part of our name, we’re also about business.

Meetings and business travel are a huge part of the hospitality industry. According to the U.S. Travel Association, business travel supports 2.4 million jobs while meetings and events are directly responsible for 1 million American jobs. These aren’t just jobs at the meeting site. These are the jobs of the taxi drivers that get you here from the airport. It’s the jobs of the wait staff at the local restaurants where the attendees will dine. It’s the jobs of the people working at the attractions that the attendee families may visit. It’s the jobs and livelihoods of local artisans, shop owners, college students, and others that all benefit when each of us travels. Each meeting and event traveler spends an average of $1,000 per trip. Those are new dollars coming into a community.

Business travel is huge in Texas. The state is second in terms of the percentage of travel that is business related (45.9 percent). Texas also ranks second in share of meetings and event travel by state. In 2007, travelers spent $9.2 billion on meeting and event travel in Texas.

We want to earn as much of that business as possible for San Antonio. With a recent study showing that 87% of Americans who have attended an out of town meeting saying their attendance was important to running a strong business, I know conventions and events are a critical component of our economic recovery. We want you to meet, we want you to travel, we want your business…how can we help? I invite you to write back with your thoughts on the link below.

Remember: San Antonio is all about Warm Heart…Authentic Culture!

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