The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority partnered with Grand Valley State University on a new economic impact study revealing the airport is a major economic growth driver generating $7.7 billion annually across the 13-county West Michigan region.
Authority President and CEO Tory Richardson says that’s more than double the growth since the publication of the 2015 report.
“We knew the West Michigan area continues to be the fastest growing, so we expected to see some growth, but the overall number was a little bit of a surprise, to see just how much we’ve come in those last few years.”
The report reveals direct spending by visitors traveling through the airport equals $637 million a year, with an average daily spend of $161 per person, and visitors stayed an average of 4.4 days in the area.
Richardson says construction at the airport has a real impact with a $600-million long term expansion program underway called ELEVATE.
“If anything, it bolsters our position that we need to continue to try to buy local, source local, serve local because in the end we all win with that.”
He says the study shows airport leaders are headed in the right direction for the future.
“One: we need to continue to grow. Two: we will continue to be a very healthy economic engine for our region, and three: our region continues to be a very vibrant, very proud and growing area and we need to continue to serve that.”
For more information and to download the full report, visit FlyFord.org.
