Rapid City Regional Airport Approves $212,000 Marketing Agreement

Rapid City Regional Airport set a record in passenger service for 2019, with 705,128 passengers flying to and from the Black Hills.

Airport Executive Director Patrick Dame said Tuesday that much of that was because of a broader marketing strategy by the airport in new destinations that offer direct flights to Rapid City. He said the change in the airport's marketing strategy is impactful, and other tourism-related organizations in South Dakota are paying attention to the city's strategy.

"People are starting to watch us and what it is we are doing," Dame said. "Deadwood has been very interested in what we are doing. We have a good relationship with (Tourism Secretary James Hagen) and his staff, as well as a great relationship with our own local tourism folks here. Everybody is looking to play together."

With the growth in flights, the Airport Board of Directors approved a $212,000 annual agreement Tuesday with Lawrence & Schiller, a Sioux Falls-based marketing agency, that will continue its partnership with Rapid City Regional Airport.

During a presentation Tuesday, representatives from Lawrence & Schiller outlined four priority areas across the country where Rapid City Regional Airport will be marketed as a go-to destination.

The first priority areas will be Los Angeles and San Francisco, where air travel opportunities continue to grow, with direct flights during the peak tourist season.

The second area of focus will be air travelers in Charlotte, N.C., and Newark, N.J. The third priority will be travelers who go through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, where flight service to and from Rapid City continues to grow.

The fourth priority markets are Chicago, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Phoenix. Dame said the reason these four areas are a lower priority is because there are already multiple marketing programs through tourism partners, like the South Dakota Department of Tourism and Visit Rapid City.

The enhanced marketing efforts in the priority markets will include visual advertising, key travel-related internet sites, social media and video platforms.

Contact Assistant Managing Editor Nathan Thompson at [email protected].

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