Lack of air service at COU impacting local economy

The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau staff will address the City Council of Columbia about the financial impact and lost business to our local economy. Including conferences that don’t consider Columbia as a destination due to the limited air service.

Columbia recently lost a national convention, The National Federation of Pachyderm Club was originally considering Columbia to host it’s national convention but will now be hosting the convention in Springfield.

According to Convention and Visitor’s Bureau staff, occasionally businesses won’t commit to Columbia because of the smaller airport, limited air space, and other contributing factors.

The National Federation of Pachyderm Club would have brought $35,486 dollars over a three day conference.

Megan McConachie with Convention and Visitors Bureau told ABC 17 that “we occasionally lose a piece of business because they don’t want to go thru Chicago or Dallas.”

ABC 17 has reached out to the National Federation of Pachyderm Club for a comment, but the offices were closed for the day.