Three years into its campaign to build a regional “brand” the Black Hills Air Service Task Force (ASTF) has helped increase passenger traffic by 38% at Rapid City Regional Airport and continues work to foster new airline service, as well as support incumbent air carriers. 

“For the first time, we began marketing the entire Black Hills as a destination for air travelers,” says ASTF Co-Chair Katherine Kinsman. “Obviously, that cooperative, long-term effort is paying off for the Black Hills in terms of increased passenger traffic and new airline service.”

Black Hills Vision is one of 21 organizations that have partnered with the Air Service Task Force in meeting its objectives of increased air service traffic. At the outset, ASTF worked to identify geographic and demographic niche markets, explore internet strategies and cultivate new partnerships, adds Co-Chair Pete Cappa.  It also enlisted the sales power of thousands of travel agencies and packaged tour companies nationwide to sell trips to the Black Hills, he said.

Links:

• Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce
• Rapid City Regional Airport
• Black Hills Badlands & Lakes Fly-Drive

Who to Contact: Airport (605) 394-4195 Email: airport@rcgov.org or Pete Cappa, Chairman of Air Service Task Force (peter.j.cappa@wellsfargo.com) or Kitty Kinsman, Co-Chair of the Air Service Task Force (kkinsman@aol.com).