Develop a Marketing Plan for the Airport

Airport marketing is an on-going process of attracting users and tenants, developing services, managing community relations, and positioning the airport against the competition. One of the goals of a marketing plan is to bring in new businesses and travelers in order to generate revenue for the airport. Marketing plans do not need to be overly complex or lengthy. However, the key component of any marketing strategy is a clearly defined objective of what the airport wants to be, action-oriented strategies on how it will get there, and quantifiable goals used to track progress. ACRP Report 28 Marketing Guidebook for Small Airports, provides detailed information on development and implementation of a marketing plan. While the report is mostly geared towards small commercial service airports and general aviation airports, the information included is pertinent to airports of any size.

There are many other resources available on how to prepare a marketing plan, from websites to books to online videos and examples from other airports. Airport managers should be mindful of the difference between airports and private enterprise when consulting guides that are not airport-specific. Public entities do not have the same leeway as private enterprise, and often do not have the cost structure and pricing control to compete on a level playing field with the private sector. These limitations should be addressed in the marketing plan in order to make the goals and strategies realistic.

A marketing plan may be developed by airport staff, through a partnership with a local university or a local economic development organization or by a consultant. Each of these options will require resources of time and money from your airport. Answering questions of staffing and budget are a good first step towards a new or updated marketing plan.

Marketing plans as a whole are discussed in more detail in the Media Kit including information about social media applications which have become a standard element of marketing plans.