Park Free Half an Hour at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport
Limited free parking and display screens for tourism and flight information are among the latest offerings at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport.
The airport and the Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association this week turned on four 30-inch screens in the baggage claim area. Two are being used to show arriving visitors what attractions, events, lodging and food are available in Southern and Eastern Kentucky and to showcase state parks throughout Kentucky. The other screens display airport flight arrivals.
The screens are part of the 511 Tourism Information Program managed by the tourism association and the state transportation department. Kentucky was the first state to launch a program where individuals can call 511 and obtain information about traffic. Kentucky is the only state to add an enhanced tourism service to the 511 program.
"We look forward to the valuable resource 511 will be for passengers at Blue Grass Airport and the benefits it will bring to promoting tourism efforts in the state of Kentucky," airport spokeswoman Amy Caudill said.
"Most people don't know about Southern and Eastern Kentucky, even people from Kentucky," said Vicki Kidd, the tourism association's executive director. "We've got history, culture and outdoor recreation in abundance."
Kidd, who's worked in tourism for many years, said Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky are the areas usually promoted. The 511 tourism program tries to let people know that there are other places to see, she said.
The screens were placed at Blue Grass Airport because the airport serves the 46-county region of Southern and Eastern Kentucky that her organization promotes, she said.
People going to the airport to pick up or drop off passengers, or to see the new screens, for that matter, now are being offered 30 minutes of free parking in the airport's short-term and long-term parking lots.
"Providing 30 minutes of free parking will give customers the opportunity to assist their family and friends at the ticket counter and in the baggage claim area," airport executive director Mike Gobb said.
The airport also recently added a lot where drivers may wait in their vehicles until arriving passengers get to the terminal curb.
Blue Grass Airport recently received the 2005 Vision Award from Bluegrass Tomorrow, a regional planning organization. The annual award is given to an organization for contributions it has made to improve the quality of life in the Bluegrass area.
News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Site Publication" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.