HARLINGEN, Texas – The vice president of international sales and global development for Frontier Airlines says the Rio Grande Valley has great potential as a tourist destination.
Alfredo Gonzalez gave an in-depth interview to the Rio Grande Valley International News Service at a recent news conference held at Valley International Airport in Harlingen.
The news conference was held to announce a new nonstop flight from VIA to Las Vegas, starting in September, on Sundays and Thursdays. The one-way price from Frontier Airlines is only $49.
While the new service might have been started to assist Valley tourists wishing to visit Las Vegas, it was put to Gonzalez that Vegas residents might also be interested in the Valley, After all, the Rio Grande Valley is lucky enough to be home to South Padre Island. Gonzalez said he could not agree more.
“This is not just a flight, it is a story to be told. After what we suffered in the last year, this is a beautiful story and a beautiful destination that has all the assets that we think we need in order to have a successful flight,” Gonzalez said.
“This area is an undiscovered gem. Even though as discovered as places like South Padre Island are, I think that the diversity of product on both sides of the border are amazing and I think it is what people in today’s world are looking for. They might not be looking for the giant rollercoaster anymore. They are looking for beautiful beaches, wide open spaces, places where you can take your family, relax and really take in after such a hard time in the last year and a half.”
Gonzalez continued: “South Padre Island has historically been an amazing recreational holiday vacation destination. And I think we as an airline understand that people need to go in both directions. Yes, it is great that we can service the most fun city in America, Las Vegas, but at the same time look at the numbers of hundreds of thousands of people that live in Clark County and all around Las Vegas that want to have a holiday on the beach. There are no beaches in Vegas.”
So, should SPI and the RGV be promoted in Vegas, Gonzalez was asked.
“I think what we have over the next couple of weeks and months, as we see the progress of the flights, is what do we do? As you know, getting to top is not difficult, staying on top is. What we need to do is stay on top. That is through marketing, public relations. We have an amazing network of social media that we continue to tell the story. And that is what we are, telling the story about how do we put people at the right place at the right time at the right price.”
Gonzalez was asked if the business sector would rebound like the leisure market has for the airline industry.
“Different people have different ideas. Very intelligent people… Sir Tim Clark, chairman and CEO of Emirates Airways, said last year, don’t discount that the business world will come back. He called it Zoom fatigue. I do believe that that is the case,” Gonzalez said.
“As much as it is convenient to talk to somebody over your computer, the value of meeting someone face to face, there is no comparison. Mr. Clark is right and he has been very right for very long. The business sector will come back. It won’t come back as fast as the leisure market has come back. Pent up demand for leisure travel is off the charts. But, you are seeing it right now. Conventions are starting to meet face to face. Businesses are opening, people are going back to work in the office, limited schedules but… the writing is on the wall. It is just a matter of months.”
News Source: https://riograndeguardian.com/podcast-frontier-airlines-executive-the-rio-grande-valley-is-an-undiscovered-gem/
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