President Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric that some saw as disparaging to Mexicans, combined with travel restrictions at the nation's airports, may be having a negative effect on San Antonio's economy, with significant declines in Mexican airline travelers this year, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"That's definitely something we should be watching and probably concerned about," St. Mary's Univesity economist Steve Nivin tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI. "Spending by Mexican Nationals is a pretty sizable part of our economy."
Airline passengers travelling from Mexico City to San Antonio declined 34 percent in January and 37 percent in February, according to data from Mexico’s Communications and Transportation Ministry. “It’s the uncertainty more than anything. A lot of people have canceled their trips to the U.S. because they don’t understand the new rules," Duncan Wood, director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, tells WOAI News partner Bloomberg.
Earlier this year, the White House ordered Customs Agents to step up the screening of international travelers, including those coming from Mexico.
While Mexico was not one of the nations that were part of a travel ban, the rhetoric may have been confusing to travelers, who have long enjoyed an easy escape to San Antonio.
According to Oxford Economics, 2.1 million visitors come to San Antonio annually from Mexico. There are 70 flights a week on five different airlines. And when they're here, the Mexican Nationals spend big bucks.
According to the latest numbers from the SABER institute, Mexican Nationals account for $374 million a year, in the Bexar County economy.
But Richard Oliver with Visit San Antonio is still bullish about visitors from south of the border.
The former convention and visitors bureau has made significant investments in outreach in Mexico. He says, many families have been coming here for generations, and feel like San Antonio is a second home.
Still, they're keeping an eye on this trend."We know there is concern out there, and we're watching this, but if this was affecting us, our hotels would be aggressively letting us know.
Right now, they're concerned about downturns, but we have not heard any major alarm bells sounding."