GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY -- After years of complaints from passengers, Delta Airlines is lowering ticket prices and adding 150 more seats a day to flights to and from Detroit. It’s a deal that's paying off for local businesses.
It’s all about making flying to the area more attractive for business meetings and conferences. And cheaper tickets plus more room for passengers do just that.
Chamber of Commerce President Doug Luciani says, "An airport in any community is the economic lifeline of the community."
Luciani says Delta's new plan of action will give people more convenient options for doing business.
Luciani explains, "This type of service will let small businesses in our region will have personal face to face relationships with their customers and will allow people looking at traverse city for relocation or expansion an attractive, viable option."
Cherry Capital Interim Airport Director Kevin Klien says, "It's about economic development bringin in groups to our facilities, our hotels, to really grow the economy."
Klien says Delta has partnered up with the Grand Traverse Resort to bring in more international and national business. The resort's sales team is traveling across the country -- trying to entice organizations to hold conventions in Traverse City.
Grand Traverse Resort President Donald Ponnian says, "Next month for example I have scientific group coming from Asia, Japan, and Europe to come to the resort because the airline issues are fixed."
Ponnian says these efforts are working. They've already booked nearly 60,000 group-room nights this year which is up 4,000 from 2010.
Delta is also partnering with 4 other hotels in Traverse City and offering vacation bundle packages to boost tourism.
