Are the concerns being raised actually more about stifling competition than benefiting local travelers?
OAKLAND, Calif. — April 2, 2024: Today, the Oakland, Walnut Creek, Tri-Valley and Berkeley business groups representing thousands of East Bay businesses announced the name of Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK): announced support for changing to “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport”.
“The name change uses San Francisco Bay, a major geographic feature of our region, to identify its location,” said OAK Interim Aviation Director Craig Simon. “This is not about the city or county of San Francisco or San Mateo County, this is about job creation in our region and throughout Oakland and the East Bay. No one owns the San Francisco Bay,” he continued. , noted that “OAK is the closest airport to 58.5% of the San Francisco Bay Area's population.” Two of the five major employers are based in East Bay, and three national laboratories are located here. ”
Simon added, “OAK creates more than 30,000 direct jobs and generates $1.6 billion in economic impact. Changing the name will help compete for new destinations and benefit all travelers. No confusion. OAK has been located in San Francisco Bay since 1927.”
Business associations representing the East Bay travel industry are united in their support and have issued the following statement:
Peter Gamez, Visit Oakland CEO
“This change will increase OAK's visibility in online searches and drive even more visitors to Auckland. This will encourage more people to experience Auckland's beauty, stay in hotels and connect with local businesses. This means creating a positive economic impact by supporting tourism and tourist attractions.”
Tracy Farhad, Visit Tri Valley CEO
“Visit the Tri-Valley, which represents Livermore, Danville, Pleasanton, and Dublin, the fastest growing city in California. Together, they welcome more than 2 million visitors each year and contribute to the has generated more than $770 million and supports 7,396 local jobs. Visibility on various online travel booking platforms is a continued commitment that we as a destination marketing organization and the airport have in common. Airport names that clearly identify geographic locations in a more recognizable way will help visitors find and use OAK when flying here. This is great because it's the closest airport to the city where we live. This is a smart move for the airport and we support it.”
Nicole Hankton, Executive Vice President, visits Walnut Creek
“Walnut Creek is a growing tourist destination for both business and leisure travelers.Although it is 25 miles from San Francisco, most visitors from outside of California prefer to travel to Walnut Creek from the Oakland Airport. As a result, OAK may be overlooked as the closest airport unless labeled as “San Francisco Bay Area,” which aligns with our message that it is a San Francisco Bay Area destination. It turns out that there is. This change will definitely help make this change more obvious to visitors, as they will have more destinations to go to from the airport, which is primarily considered a “destination airport” for residents here in Walnut Creek. We support this change as a measure. ”
Barbara Hillman, Visit Berkeley CEO
“Berkeley is fortunate to have visitors from all over the world. The San Francisco Bay Area is known worldwide, and Berkeley is a well-known part of it because of its universities and various research institutes. Our observation over the years, especially outside the region, is that many travelers simply have no idea of the proximity of Oakland International Airport within the San Francisco Bay Area. It makes sense to align with globally recognized geographic regions. This will make it easier for air travelers to find and use OAKs when planning their travels, resulting in more We can now support destinations with direct flights, which is a clear plus for all of us.”
The Port Commissioner is scheduled to consider renaming the airport at the April 11, 2024 Port Commission meeting. Once the Port Commission considers and takes action on the name change, staff will proceed with the formal name change, including working with airlines, other airports, and local agencies to reflect the change in airport and airline systems. become.
You can find a complete list of OAK name change supporters. here.
About the Port of Auckland
The Port of Auckland is generating significant economic activity, community benefits and environmental innovation while decarbonizing port operations towards a cleaner, greener future. Together with its partners, the port supports 98,345 jobs and $174 billion in annual economic activity in the region. The port oversees approximately 32 miles of waterfront, including Oakland International Airport, Oakland Seaport, Jack London Square, and publicly owned public facilities. The Port of Auckland is a port for everyone! Connect with Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport on Facebook and Twitter or connect with Port of Oakland on LinkedIn, YouTube and www.portofoakland.com.
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