Delta Deal Good to Go!
The demand for the budding Kootenay Tourism Product is about grow – exponentially. Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC) is about to take a monumental step into the international market place. The groundwork has been put in place for Delta Airlines to provide non-stop flights from Salt Lake City to the Canadian Rockies International Airport.
The first Delta flight is pencilled in from Salt Lake City to Cranbrook on December 17th of this year.
“This is a growing area, access has been a challenge to the region and this is ripe for people to come to this community from the States, and this is the easiest and the fastest way to get there.” said Kent Myers of Airplanners.
The potential economic impact of the inbound Delta flights to the area is enormous, allowing US visitors to enjoy the incredible Kootenay lifestyle, with just a 2 hour flight.
However the real gem of the deal might prove to be the outbound flight for locals, and recreational real estate owners.
International Carriers know that this is a new and unproven market, as such a guarantee will be required. In a brilliant display of cooperation and teamwork, municipalities and private enterprise have teamed together to ensure that this deal is reached.
There has been strong participation from a wide cross section of Kimberley and Cranbrook businesses. The support continues both up and down the valley, with Intrawest at Panorama, Copper Point, at Fairmont, and from virtually every business in Fernie.
This is a milestone that the that the airport marketing committee has been working toward for many years.
The impact that this will have on the local economy is going to be huge. There is strong demand for the Ski and Golf product, and with other destinations such as Whistler falling out of favor for being oversold, smart investors are getting in while prices are still attainable.
Salt Lake City is a smart tactical move as it is considered an omni hub and is Delta’s fastest growing domestic hub in terms of destinations served. Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer Salt Lake City customers 335 peak-day departures to 108 nonstop destinations.
“Service is set to start in December with a 50 passenger jet. Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday – they leave Salt Lake City at 11:10 and will land here at 1:08. They’ll return and be back in Salt Lake City at 3:33. That will be a connecting flight that will go out toward the United States across the Delta hub.” Myers said.
According to Myers, the excitement does not stop with the exposure to the to the international market:
“We have talked to West Jet. We will talk to Air Canada. We want to grow the domestic market as well.“
Shadow Mountain Featured on Global News – Calgary
CRANBROOK BC – Global News journalist Grant Pollock explores area which has not seen this kind of growth in a century. The Kootenay Rockies are booming, with new housing projects, new hotels and plenty of golf courses.
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Within the news piece Bob Keating of Kootenay Rockies Tourism is interviewed overlooking the Shadow Mountain Development. “People are coming here to visit, and they are also coming here to live, because the pace of life is getting hectic. So they are looking for a place where life is a little more laid back, where it is beautiful, where there is recreation to spare. They are looking in their backyard – places like the Kootenay Rockies.”
“I think you are talking about a remaking of the region.” Bill Bennett, MLA East Kootenay.
Grant Pollack says that “The real key to the tourism boom aside from the Albertan economy is a new international airport.”
Alberta’s booming economy is certainly a factor in this booming economy, but it is the new Canadian Rockies International Airport that will sustain growth well into the future.
According to Philip Elchitz, Managing Director of the new airport, “We are positioning ourselves to accept flights from not only domestic long haul from Toronto, but from the US, Chicago and further east. In addition we have developed the runway in a configuration that can accept European traffic nonstop direct.”
With everything the area has to offer, it is no wonder why the Kootenay Rockies are in the spotlight.
