FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PORTLAND, ORE. (Feb. 3, 2009) – New PDX Campaign Touts Heroic Benefits of Using PDX International Nonstops

Selecting one of PDX’s daily nonstop international services to Europe or Asia can make business and leisure travelers local super heroes.  That is the message behind the Port of Portland’s new campaign highlighting the importance of international nonstop air service to the local economy.

Using animation and colorful, fun super hero-type graphics in a variety of ways, the campaign features a contest to create a video that could win someone four tickets for a trip abroad.  Contestants are being asked to tell viewers why they want to be a “local super hero” and fly nonstop to Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Tokyo on Lufthansa or Northwest (a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines.) Details about the contest can be found at www.flypdx.com.

Portland is fortunate to have one of the best airports in the country and even more fortunate to have three non-stop international flights via Northwest/Delta Air Lines and Lufthansa.  In fact, Portland is one of only 12 metro areas in the country with both daily transatlantic and transpacific nonstop service and it is the smallest of the 12.

Those same international air services generate a total airport and visitor direct business revenue of $241.5 million for the region—an important consideration as businesses large and small grapple with the economic downturn.  Not only do the flights save valuable business travelling time, they are also the source of the growth in international travelers to our region which benefits hotels, restaurants and other tourist destinations.  The number of travelers between Europe and our region has nearly doubled since the new services began.

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Just eight years ago, Portland was an international passenger airport only by virtue of the fact that it had nonstop flights to Canada.  The Portland business community banded together and made a case that PDX nonstops pencil out. 

“These international air services come here and make decisions to stay here because it makes financial sense to do so,” said Sho Dozono, president and CEO of Azumano Travel and co-chair of the PDX International Air Service Committee.  “We need to do all we can to support these airlines by using their non-stop services to Europe and Asia.”

“We are not asking folks to fly more in this tough economic climate, just to remember that using our nonstops when they do need to fly helps ensure these flights continue here,” added David Zielke, Port general manager of air service development.  “Whether you fly business or coach, you can be a real community super hero if you make the decision to fly on one of these great international services.”