Connecting Culture and Commerce in America's Seventh-largest City

09/09/2019 12:38

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- If you're visiting San Antonio this fall, you're not alone. The tourism and hospitality industry in America's seventh-largest city attracts over 37 million visitors each year, mostly to the cultural corridors of the 300-year-old metropolis.

VIA Metropolitan Transit, San Antonio's public transportation provider, helps make the connection between the year-round tourist season and some of the most-visited sites in the Lone Star State with routes designed to carry local and visiting tourists, and workers in the city center. VIA's "VIVA" routes are thriving, as a specially branded service connecting culture and commerce through the heart of San Antonio with over 1 million passengers in its first three years.

The major milestone, celebrated this summer, solidifies VIA's role in supporting the vitality of major cultural, historic, and entertainment destinations—like the famed Alamo, San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site, and River Walk—and supporting local employees and businesses that are part of San Antonio's massive tourism industry. Hospitality is one of the top five industries in San Antonio, contributing $15.2 billion into the local economy and employing more than 140,000.

"The success of VIA's VIVA routes affirms that transit provides a vital connection to our city's rich and storied history; a driving force to the art, music, history, and discovery that makes our region unique," VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said.

VIVA routes run daily, with extended hours and frequent service. Standard fares and discounts apply. The best value for riders is a VIA Day Pass, which provides unlimited rides, all day for only $2.75. VIA recently announced they will offer free service on all VIVA routes, every Saturday in October as part of the city's Museum Month celebration.

For more information on VIA's VIVA service, visit VIAinfo.net/VIVA, or call (210) 362-2020. Customers may also conveniently plan trips, and purchase fares and passes with the new VIA goMobile app. The free app is available on Apple and Android smartphones. Visit VIAinfo.net/goMobile for more information.

About VIA Metropolitan Transit
VIA provides regional multimodal transportation options that connect our community to opportunity, support economic vitality, and enhance quality of life throughout our region. VIA, recognized by the Texas Transit Association in 2018 as the outstanding Metro Transit Authority of the year, serves 14 member cities and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, operating seven days a week on 96 routes. Last year, VIA provided nearly 37 million rides across the region. Visit VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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