BRISTOL International Airport has embarked on its biggest marketing campaign in a bid to capture early summer 2000 bookings on the back of the opening of its new terminal.
Regional TV and poster site advertising in the southwest has started featuring images of the new multi-million pound passenger terminal which is due to open next March.
The slogan ‘Whatever Happens in the Future, The Future is Happening at Bristol International’ is being adopted throughout the six-month campaign with a futuristic feel.
Apart from generating greater consumer awareness, Bristol is targeting travel agents with a series of trade promotional evenings.
Airport marketing director Mike Luddy said the £27m terminal will give it a much-needed new lease of life.
“We will hit the 2m passenger mark for the first time this year, but the original terminal was only built to handle 1.2m. The new facility will provide total annual capacity for at least 3.5m passengers until 2006,” said Luddy.
Bristol International caters for the leading charter airlines and scheduled carriers, including Britannia, KLM Cityhopper and Jersey European Airways.
Luddy added that there had been little investment at the airport in recent years, but since privatisation in 1997, the direction had changed with new owners First Group plc providing funds for expansion.
The airport is still hopeful that airlines will seriously consider launching new routes to coincide with the opening of the terminal in time for the summer 2000 schedules.