By all accounts, regional air travel is doing well. With the pandemic now in the rearview mirror, business travelers are holding in-person meetings and attending conventions, and more are choosing to fly to vacation destinations.
Last year was Fargo's Hector International Airport's busiest year on record, with total passenger numbers topping the 1 million mark. The number of passengers on board in 2023 was 516,071, an increase of nearly 13.3% compared to 455,512 in 2022. Statistics for the airport are shared on its website, which states that the total number of passengers for the year was 1,032,497, an increase of 14% from the total number of passengers in 2022.
Construction of the terminal expansion is scheduled to begin this spring and is expected to take three to four years to complete. The project will add four new gates to accommodate more flights and a wider range of airlines. Another construction project is in the works to add a four-story parking garage and elevated walkway.
Williston Basin International Airport (XWA) has experienced significant growth through 2023, making it a prosperous year for all of Northwest North Dakota. In December 2023 alone, the airport achieved a staggering 61.6% increase in gross passenger revenue compared to December 2022. XWA Airport Director Anthony Dudas said this significant growth was due to a variety of factors, including the introduction of larger aircraft by Delta Air Lines and Delta Air Lines. In addition to United Airlines, Sun Country Airlines also offers seasonal non-stop flights to Las Vegas. The industry in this region is also experiencing continued growth throughout his 2023.
“Looking at the year as a whole, XWA recorded a commendable 23.2% increase in total passenger numbers compared to 2022, with a simultaneous increase in available seats of 23.6%. Despite these impressive numbers, However, XWA was 7.9% lower than 2019 passenger numbers and available seats, which increased by 4.8%. “This deviation can be attributed to the continued challenges posed by the pilot shortage, which continues to impact the aviation industry,” he said.
“The strong growth shown by XWA in 2023 reflects the region’s resilience and adaptability to overcome obstacles such as pilot shortages and adverse weather conditions. “The strategic decision to expand our services has undoubtedly contributed to the airport's positive trajectory,” Dudas said.
Grand Forks International Airport's passenger volume increased 5.3% to 92,187 compared to 2022, according to data from the North Dakota Aviation Commission, which tracks statistics for the state's five commercial airports and three regional airports. It became. At Bismarck Airport, the number of passengers increased by 6% in 2023, and at Minot Airport, the number of passengers increased by 6.8% to 146,769.
South Dakota's major airports are also seeing an increase in travelers. The number of passengers arriving and departing from Sioux Falls Regional Airport increased by 9% compared to 2022, totaling 1,338,514.
In 2022, more than 330,000 passengers traveled through Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), resulting in $153 million in direct spending and $188 million in economic impact.
Megan Johnson, RAP's marketing, communications and aviation services manager, said the airport is a leader in accessibility and inclusion and has implemented programs to support passengers with hidden disabilities through its Sunflower program. said. We also provided therapy dogs through the RAPaws program and installed mother pods for Mamaba nursing.
“In 2023, we achieved a remarkable milestone in air travel, with the number of passengers on our flights reaching a record high of 352,388. This figure is significantly higher than the 338,458 in 2022. , even surpassing the previous record of 351,096 in 2019.Despite the impact of COVID-19, we have recovered faster than most markets and are seeing a surge in travel demand among Black people. has been consistently observed in Hills.As a result, we are seeing larger aircraft than ever before land in Rapid City, requiring gate areas to be expanded to accommodate mainline jets. It came out,” Johnson said.
An economic impact study of the Rapid City Regional Airport commissioned by the airport and the city shows that RAP supports an estimated 2,877 jobs and generates $456 million in economic activity in Pennington County, South Dakota. There is. This economic activity generates a fiscal impact of $2.2 million. RAP is his second busiest airport in South Dakota and is ranked the 149th busiest airport in the country by the Department of Transportation. When surveying travelers for this study, 52% reported using the airport for leisure and 48% reported using RAP for business.
The growing airport was awarded $10.9 million in bipartisan Infrastructure Act grants in February 2023, which will be used for the first phase of a $52 million airport renovation and expansion project. The renovations are expected to be completed over the next 10 years, with the first phase focused on expanding the main terminal, baggage drop and relocating the TSA checkpoint.
Last year it was busier in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Paul International Airport, the number of passengers also exceeded his 34.7 million, an increase of 11% compared to 2022. That number has yet to reach his pre-pandemic level of more than 39 million.
As business travel increases, so do industry events and conferences. Attending trade shows and exhibitions is one of the main purposes of work-related travel. According to a report from Statista, Amazon, FedEx, and Apple ranked among the top companies spent on business travel in the United States. Amazon spent $483 million on business travel in 2022, Apple spent $210 million and FedEx $188 million.
/ Sioux Falls Courtesy Experience
Matt Barthel, director of communications for Experience Sioux Falls, said visitor numbers to Sioux Falls in 2022 were slightly lower than in 2021 due to people seeking to escape coronavirus travel restrictions in other states. , said the number of visitors to the region has increased overall during the pandemic. . Canopy by Hilton, a new hotel with convention space, will open downtown later this year and is expected to become an attractive destination for meeting planners.
Convention and Visitors Bureaus promote cities and states by featuring attractions and recreational activities that help attract tourists and event planners. Barthel said the Sioux Falls Sourced campaign just completed its second year, where event planners can sign up to win a box full of local products.
“We send out 10 boxes to planners every quarter. This is a great way to connect with new planners as well as re-engage with planners you have had discussions with in the past. In the coming weeks We plan to restart this campaign for the third year,” he said.
The Aleras Center in Grand Forks has seen year-over-year increases in the number of meetings since 2021. Derek Hoffart, general manager and assistant director of global partnerships, said the facility has increased by 12% from 2021 to 2022 and by 12% from 2022. – In 2023 the conference will increase by 21% and even more significantly.
“We also see a trend in our booking cycles, as even years tend to have more convention bookings than odd years due to the state rotation cycle that most of our industry customers follow,” he said. Stated.
According to Aleras Center's latest annual report, 18 consumer trade fairs will be held in 2022 with a total of 26,902 participants, an increase of 5 from 2021 and an increase of 8,000 participants. did. In 2022, the conference center also hosted 138 conferences and 65 banquets.
The U.S. Travel Association says small businesses are prioritizing business travel, and many companies are evolving their products to better meet the needs of small businesses. Rising hotel rates in major convention destinations like Chicago and Dallas are driving large conferences and events to secondary markets like Milwaukee and Albuquerque.
Business travel is expected to increase in 2024, but at a slower pace. Slower economic growth will constrain the recovery in domestic business travel, with travel volumes not fully recovering until 2026, the travel association said.
