Visit San Antonio has retained SearchWide Global to find a strategic, analytical, and collaborative leader to serve as the new Director of Market Strategy. The organization began in 1968 as the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, which was a department of the City of San Antonio until September 2016. Based on industry research and best practices, the industry advocated the creation of the 501c6 entity, Visit San Antonio. Visit San Antonio markets the city as a leisure and convention/meetings destination for the purpose of positively affecting the local economy. Visit San Antonio works with both private and public entities to promote the destination and is primarily funded by hotel occupancy tax