Ritchie Announces Nearly $70,000 to Help Ogdensburg International Airport Reach New Heights

State Senator Patty Ritchie is announcing she has secured $68,500 in funding to help improve marketing efforts for the Ogdensburg International Airport, and in turn, encourage more travelers—especially Canadian travelers—to utilize the airport’s low-cost flights to Florida. 

During a visit to the airport Thursday, airport and Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority (OBPA) officials discussed with Senator Ritchie how marketing efforts would not only draw an increase of local travelers, but also attract more Canadians to the airport’s Allegiant Air flights to Tampa and Orlando. The marketing plan involves not only increasing awareness here in New York and Canada, but also providing bilingual marketing services to French speaking Canadians who might want to take advantage of the low-cost flights out of Ogdensburg.

“The success of the Ogdensburg International Airport is critical for both Ogdensburg’s standing as an international gateway and our regional economy,” Senator Patty Ritchie said. “I was a proud supporter of the airport’s recent expansion for those very reasons and I am confident this new marketing effort will even further enhance the airport’s positive impact.”

“I want to thank Senator Ritchie for her assistance with our airport expansion project which has helped us increase traffic from 5,000 passengers a year to more than 37,000,” said OBPA Executive Director Wade Davis. “Senator Ritchie has been a great supporter of the airport expansion project and the Authority greatly appreciates her assistance with this new marketing grant as it directly benefits North Country residents.”

Bringing more Canadian customers to Ogdensburg helps boost the number of travelers crossing the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, increases sales for the airport and results in increased sales for area merchants who benefit from lodging, gas, food, merchandise and other purchases.

(Senator Ritchie is pictured with Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Business Development Manager Jim Morrison (left), Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Executive Director Wade Davis (2nd from right) and Ogdensburg International Airport Manager Ronald Bogus (right))