Dan Decker plans to retire as president and CEO of the Texas Travel Alliance at the end of the year.
Decker said his decision was "both personal and professional" when asked about the move.
"Businesses in travel and tourism have been bit hard by the economic downturn as a result of the pandemic and need strong advocates now more than ever," he noted.
Decker has held key positions with the TTA since 2016. Prior to that, he spent more than 11 years as president of SeaWorld San Antonio and its companion water park, Aquatica.
In June 2019, Decker stepped in as interim president and CEO of the San Antonio Tourism Council after its longtime leader, Marco Barros, retired.
“Dan is a strong leader and advocate for tourism in Texas. It will be extremely difficult to fill his shoes,” Barros said. He added that Decker has rallied stakeholders together and created a sense of trust, “which many leaders cannot do during a crisis.”
The pandemic has turned San Antonio’s consistently strong hospitality business upside down. I recently reported that Visit San Antonio has reduced its 2020 budget by 35% due to the disruption in business caused by Covid. The organization has also cut its workforce by nearly a third and furloughed additional employees.
“Obviously, the disruption is not helpful,” Visit San Antonio President and CEO Casandra Matej said, adding that Decker’s leadership has been critical.
Other Alamo City groups tasked with promoting the industry have been deeply affected by the pandemic as resources have dried up and supporters have reprioritized spending.
Sharon Aguillen confirmed that she is currently running the organization solo. She previously worked with Decker at SeaWorld San Antonio and stepped in as the new president and CEO of the San Antonio Tourism Council in August 2019 before its rebranding a few months later.
“I do have a very engaged board,” Aguillen said. “But they also have their businesses to focus on.”
As for Decker, she said he has proven to be a "strong leader, no matter the organization."
Decker said TTA's incoming board chair will assemble a transition team to address his exit as president and CEO. Meanwhile, he has agreed to rejoin the organization's board and serve on its executive committee in 2021.