Big aviation predictions for Las Vegas

By Jonathan Cisowski

LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas is doing its best to bring in the biggest names in the flight industry. The International Aviation Forecast Summit is at the Bellagio, but it’s the tourist sites outside the strip are what industry owners and CEO’s might be visiting.

The conference predicts big changes to the airline industry with the biggest one affecting thousands in the valley. The prediction is within three years, an airline that carries direct flights from Las Vegas to China will soon be a reality.

Some of the airline CEO’s are going to get tours of Zion and the Grand Canyon to see what makes Las Vegas and the surrounding attractions so great.

The goal is to get them to move their airlines here or add destinations.

Since 2010, there has been a sixty-percent growth in travel to Las Vegas.

In fact, later this year McCarran expects to begin a construction project to double the number of international gates to accommodate more flights.

Travel experts say Las Vegas has always thrived off of tourism which is the main vessel to bring in international tourists through McCarran.

“This conference brings together some of the top decision makers of airlines and members of the aviation industry,” McCarran PIO Christine Crews said. It brings them to Las Vegas and really when you have those people here and they see what we have to offer, it really changes their minds and influences the way they do their scheduling.”

International guests tend to stay in Las Vegas longer and spend more money.

Fans traveling to Europe can get excited as Norwegian Airlines is coming to Las Vegas by November. The low cost carrier is expected to have cheap flights to Copenhagen and Stockholm.

The conference’s biggest day is Monday when more ideas are expected to be discussed regarding the future of the airline industry.

SEE MORE AT THE SOURCE: http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/big-aviation-predictions-for-las-vegas