The Manassas Regional Airport is the largest of its kind in the state. But does the majority of the flying public know its there?
Airport officials will spend $35,000 on an advertising and marketing plan this year to increase name awareness. About 40% of the people they intend to reach are locals who need a place to base their aircraft, with 60% of the remainder being transients (people who fly in their planes from out of town.) Commercial flights aren’t offered at the airport.
Much of the marketing effort will focus on the benefits of using the airport, such as its close proximity to Washington, D.C.
“One of the things I took on last year and one of the biggest things in my first impression is that the city did a survey of all the amenities of the citizens. One impression I got was they didn’t include the airport as one of those amenities,” said Rita Witte, an administrative coordinator at the airport. “We have the police, the fire, and the airport was down here but no one realizes how important this airport is.”
The airport will use social media to increase awareness of the airport, to include a presence on Linked In, Facebook, and Instagram. Witte also uses a tool called hoot suite to manage and automate postings to multiple social media accounts. The service links up to a listing of events on the city’s website, and it costs $250 a year.
“The airport, overall, has always been humble about things that we’ve done…we really need to work on … ‘tooting our own horn,’ added Witte.
The popular Virginia tourism icon, the LOVE sign, has been a boon for the airport by helping to generate interest in the airport, she adds. “I think it’s been a pretty morale booster.”
The sign cost $7,000, and a total of $4,000 came from state grants. Expect to see the sign in more of the airport’s marketing and advertising efforts.
The airport contracts with NDP Agency for its marketing. The firm also has contracts with Virginia Commonwealth University and has worked to promote the Waterside District in Downtown Norfolk.
