6.5 Economic Impact

One way an airport can demonstrate its value is by quantifying its economic impact. An airport’s economic impact is its contribution to the regional economy in terms of jobs, payroll, and output measured as direct, indirect, and multiplier or induced impacts.

ACRP “Outreach and Recruitment: Your Airport as an Asset”
Provides a sequence of suggested steps for working with stakeholders in the airport’s community to make sure adequate information about the airport and its services is available as part of general outreach and marketing materials. The tool addresses both business recruitment and destination marketing. This document is based in part on Table 4-3 in ACRP Report 44: A Guidebook for the Preservation of Public-Use Airports.

ACRP Report 132: The Role of U.S. Airports in the National Economy
Examines the economic role of U.S. airports and the national airport system to help communicate the national aggregate value of airports to communities and aviation stakeholders.

ACRP Synthesis 7: Airport Economic Impact Methods and Models
Explores how airport economic impact studies are currently conducted.  The synthesis examines the methods and models used to define and identify, evaluate and measure, and communicate the different facets of the economic impact of airports. It also highlights the various analysis methods, models, and tools that are available for local airport economic studies, as well as their applicability and tradeoffs, including limitations, trends, and recent developments.

ACRP WebResource 1: Aligning Community Expectations with Airport Roles
Provides guidance to help airport staff manage airport communications and public relations proactively. The primary objective is to address possible misunderstandings about realities faced by airport management related to community expectations for air service or other airport-related services and resulting economic benefits. Three “toolkits” help communicate the many roles an airport can play in a community (Role of the Airport), general ways to engage effectively with the local community (Media Toolkit), and information and communication strategies to enhance understanding specific aviation-related topics (Aviation Toolkit).

My Airport’s Business Constituency
Assists an airport manager in identifying any business users that rely on the airport. This worksheet is on the My Airport’s Business Constituency page.

Visitor Spending
Provides tables that guide an airport manager through the process of estimating the jobs, wages, and business revenue supported by visitors arriving at the airport. This tool is on the Visitor Spending page.

The Value of My Airport
Describes the process to identify the economic impact of an airport and includes sample resources.

State Aviation Economic Impact Studies
Provides a library of completed economic impact studies, compiled by the National Association of State Aviation Officials.