Are the concerns actually raised more about stifling competition that benefits regional travelers?
Oakland, Calif. – April 2, 2024: Today, trade groups from Oakland, Walnut Creek, Tri-Valley and Berkeley, representing thousands of businesses in the East Bay, announced support for changing the name of Metropolitan International Airport Oakland (OAK) for “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.”
“The name change will use the main geographic feature of our region to identify its location, the San Francisco Bay,” said OAK Interim Director of Aviation Craig Simon. “It’s not about the City and County of San Francisco, or San Mateo County, it’s about our region and creating jobs in Oakland and throughout the East Bay. No one has the title of the Bay of San Francisco”. He continued to note that “OAK is the closest airport to 58.5% of the population of the San Francisco Bay; two of the five main employers are based in the 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 our name will help us compete for new destinations, which will benefit all travelers. There is no confusion; OAK has been located on San Francisco Bay since 1927.”
Trade organizations representing the travel industry in the East Bay are united in support and have released the following statements:
Peter Gamez, CEO, Visit Oakland
“This change will increase online search visibility for OAK and in turn, bring more visitors to Oakland. This means more people will experience the beauty of Oakland, creating a positive economic impact while staying at our hotels and supporting our local businesses and attractions.”
Tracy Farhad, CEO, Visit Tri Valley
“Visita Tri-Valley represents Livermore, Danville, Pleasanton, and – the fastest growing city in California – Dublin. Together they welcome more than 2 million visitors each year, generating more than $770 million in visitor spending and supporting 7,396 jobs local. Visibility in the various online travel booking platforms is a permanent challenge that we as Destination Marketing Organizations and the airport have in common. An airport name that clearly identifies its geographic location in a more recognizable way will help visitors find and use OAK when they fly here, and that’s great because OAK is by far the closest airport to the cities we represent. This is a smart move for the airport, and we support it.” .
Nicole Hankton, Executive Vice President, Visit Walnut Creek
“Walnut Creek is a growing visitor destination for both business and leisure travelers. Although we are 25 miles outside of San Francisco, most visitors from outside of California are not aware of the easy accessibility of the Oakland airport to Walnut Creek. As a result, we observed that OAK could be overlooked as the closest airport, unless there is an indication of “San Francisco Bay Area” to align with our messaging on us being a San Francisco Bay Area destination. The change will certainly help make it clearer for visitors and we support it as a measure to get more destinations from what is widely considered the “departure airport” for residents here in Walnut Creek.”
Barbara Hillman, CEO, Visit Berkeley
“Berkeley is fortunate to have visitors from all over the world. The San Francisco Bay Area is recognized worldwide, and Berkeley, through the University and the various research laboratories, are well known for being part of of this. Over the years, it has been our observation, particularly outside the region, that many travelers simply do not understand the proximity of Oakland International Airport to the San Francisco Bay Area. That is good it makes sense to align the name of the airport with the globally recognized geographic area it is located in. This will make it easier for air travelers to find and use OAK when planning their trip and which, in turn, will help support more non-stop destinations which is a definite plus for all of us.
The Port Commissioners will consider changing the name of the airport at their Port Council meeting on April 11, 2024. Once the Port Commission has considered the name change and taken an action, staff will move forward with the formal renaming, including working with air carriers, other airports and local agencies to reflect the change in airport and airline systems.
You can find a complete list of supporters of the OAK renaming here.
About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland generates vital economic activity, community benefits and environmental innovation as the Port decarbonizes its operations for a cleaner, greener future. Together with its partners, the Port supports 98,345 jobs in the region and $174 billion in annual economic activity. The Port oversees Oakland International Airport, the Oakland Seaport and nearly 20 miles of waterfront, including Jack London Square, and a public utility. The Port of Oakland is everyone’s port! Connect with thePort of Oakland and Oakland International Airportthrough Facebook and Twitter, or with the Port on LinkedIn, YouTube, and atwww.portofoakland.com.
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