Airports Examine Their Economic Impacts

The Aeronautics Division of the Wyoming Department of Transportation has launched a study to determine how the state’s airports benefit businesses, agencies and residents throughout the state.  Here in Teton County, Jackson Hole Airport Manager Ray Bishop says the airport contributes significantly to the valley’s economic viability.  Bishop says the airport contributes about $823-million dollars of business to the local economy through direct, indirect and induced business.  During the peak seasons, he says the airport employs some 500 people at the ticket counters, on the ramps, at the rental car agencies, and so forth. Altogether, Bishop says the airport provides connections for about 300-thousand people with flights each year.  That means the Jackson Hole Airport has about 65% of all the business done by Wyoming’s airports combined. The Aeronautics Division says it will use information provided by participants the public survey to support its programs and inform the public on the role airports play in improving Wyoming’s economy.  That survey can be accessed at http://WYDOT.Business.sgizmo.com/s3/.