The city's international airport, which hosts Airline Business's 2012 Network USA route-planning event in March, is working with the local community to kick-start the region's economy with increased air services
The arrival at Tampa International airport of Joe Lopano, a forceful executive from high-flying Dallas/Fort Worth International airport, in January added a new spiciness to Florida's already highly competitive airport market.
Lopano, a US airline and airport veteran, is blunt about what he has to do at Tampa. "We have to grow ourselves out of this recession," Lopano tells Airline Business. "We can no longer afford to have traffic driven to other airports because we don't have the flights."
Tampa had stagnated while other US airports used dynamic marketing tactics to secure new airline service. In fact, Tampa is the only one of Florida's big four airports to see traffic fall over the past five years (see table). It also lags well behind Miami, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in terms of international passenger numbers.
"We have demonstrated that our airport loses tonnes of traffic to other airports," says Lopano. "To be successful you have got to be aggressive in marketing. Tampa now operates the same way as Dallas/Fort Worth."
"It's our form of stimulus package," says Lopano of a series of measures - including a financial incentive scheme specifically for air service development, an economic impact study and a drive to "unite the community behind a message of growth". Depending on the level of service, the incentive scheme means an airline may qualify for waived airport charges and marketing dollars to support new service.
"Convincing an airline to launch service to your community is an enormous challenge - it is the second hardest part of air service development," Lopano said when introducing the incentives back in June. "Number one - ensuring the success of that new service - is even harder, and it requires the support of the entire community.
"We believe in the power of the region. We are going to be the gateway to the west coast of Florida," says Lopano.
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©Tampa Bay & Company |
On the one hand this is music to the ears of local community leaders, while on the other rival airports may groan - extra marketing dollars may be good for Florida as a whole, but could have the potential to further distort the market.
For DT Minich, executive director of Visit St Petersburg/Clearwater - who has been in charge of the convention and visitors bureau (CVB) for the region just south of Tampa for four years - this revitalised approach is long overdue. "Since day one I've been hoping we could get an incentive programme at the airport, so we could get more domestic and international flights," he says.
"We need additional service from the West Coast - it's what we are all working towards. When I look at the number of international flights at Miami, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale we're way behind the curve."
These local organisations, including Tampa's own CVB - Tampa Bay & Company - have all backed Lopano's initiative, not only with words, but with cash as well. "The incentive package is important. It has not been in the toolbox before," says Steve Hayes, executive vice-president of Tampa Bay & Co. "With these CVBs you have two powerhouses that can help [Lopano] move this thing forward," says Hayes.
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and the presidents of regional banks are also part of the team.
Tampa Bay & Company has set aside about $70,000 in its 2011 budget to provide marketing support for new air services from British Airways and Swiss carrier Edelweiss Air. The money is used to advertise these services and the Tampa Bay region in the carriers's home markets, to drive business, says Hayes.
More support could be available "if another opportunity comes up. Then we would evaluate any options," Hayes adds.
Visit St Petersburg/Clearwater has likewise been keen to help. "I went to my board and it put aside some marketing funds dedicated to air service development," says Minich.
The budget was set at a substantial $250,000, "and we will continue to have that amount in the budget going forward. We are excited about the partnership and the opportunities it will bring."
Lopano's new team, which now includes former Dallas/Fort Worth colleague Christopher Minner as vice-president of marketing, has already been making its mark. A recent success was tempting Edelweiss to choose Tampa for its 2012 daily service to Zurich.
Other targets for Tampa service include destinations in Europe, while Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and other Latin American countries are on the wish list.
"Joe and Chris came out of the starting gate at full speed," says Minich. "There's been more progress in the last eight months then I've seen in all my time at St Petersburg/Clearwater, and this is only the tip of the iceberg."
Why does West Florida deserve this attention, when much of the state's attractions, such as the Disney theme parks, are further east and closer to Orlando? "The west coast of Florida is becoming very popular in Europe," says Minich. "Two-centre holidays are very attractive. You wear yourself out in Orlando and then relax on some of the best beaches in the world [here in the west]."
And all Tampa's players stress the region is not only about its great leisure attractions - it has a serious business travel component and is a popular conventions market. "Improving the Tampa Bay economy is the bottom line," says Keith Norden, president of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation.
Source: Airline Business
