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Up in the Air: The Role of Airports for Regional Economic Development

Author

Listed:
  • Florida, Richard

    (University of Toronto)

  • Mellander, Charlotta

    (Jönköping International Business School)

  • Holgersson, Thomas

    (Jönköping International Business School)

Abstract

Short on the role of airports in for regional development in earlier work, our research examines two things: (1) the likelihood for the region to have an airport in the first place and (2) the effects of airports for regional economic development. Based on multiple regression analysis for US metros, we find that airports are more likely in larger metros with higher shares of more cultural workers and warmer winters are more likely to have an airport in the first place. We also find that airports add significantly to economic output per capita, when controlling for other variables, and that the size of the airport activities matters.

Suggested Citation

  • Florida, Richard & Mellander, Charlotta & Holgersson, Thomas, 2012. "Up in the Air: The Role of Airports for Regional Economic Development," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 267, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0267
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    2. Serafeim Polyzos & Dimitrios Tsiotas, 2020. "Regional airports in Greece, their characteristics and their importance for the local economic development," Papers 2001.09666, arXiv.org.
    3. Lenaerts, Bert & Allroggen, Florian & Malina, Robert, 2021. "The economic impact of aviation: A review on the role of market access," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    4. Tu Anh Trinh & Ducksu Seo & Unchong Kim & Thi Nhu Quynh Phan & Thi Hai Hang Nguyen, 2022. "Air Transport Centrality as a Driver of Sustainable Regional Growth: A Case of Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Hubbard, John R. & Mitra, Subhro & Miller, Chad R., 2019. "Analyzing human capital as a component of the aerotropolis model," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 63-70.
    6. Chen, Xin & Xuan, Chao & Qiu, Rui, 2021. "Understanding spatial spillover effects of airports on economic development: New evidence from China’s hub airports," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 48-60.
    7. Nuri Baltaci & Ozlem Sekmen & Gizem Akbulut, 2015. "The Relationship between Air Transport and Economic Growth in Turkey: Cross-Regional Panel Data Analysis Approach," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 7(1), pages 89-100.
    8. Cattaneo, Mattia & Malighetti, Paolo & Paleari, Stefano & Redondi, Renato, 2016. "The role of the air transport service in interregional long-distance students’ mobility in Italy," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 66-82.
    9. Wu, Hanjun & Hong Tsui, Kan Wai & Ngo, Thanh & Lin, Yi-Hsin, 2023. "Airport subsidies impact on wellbeing of smaller regions: A systemic examination in New Zealand," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 26-36.
    10. Pot, Felix Johan & Koster, Sierdjan, 2022. "Small airports: Runways to regional economic growth?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Carr, Amelia & Biswas, Tania & Wheeler, Jane V., 2020. "Airport operations and security screening: An examination of social justice," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    12. Cheung, Tommy K.Y. & Wong, Collin W.H. & Zhang, Anming, 2020. "The evolution of aviation network: Global airport connectivity index 2006–2016," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    13. Breidenbach, Philipp, 2020. "Ready for take-off? The economic effects of regional airport expansions in Germany," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 54(8), pages 1084-1097.
    14. Pi, Jianhua & Li, Dong & Liu, Xingjian & Freestone, Robert, 2021. "The spatial distribution of employment around major Chinese airports," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    15. Zeigler, Patrick & Pagliari, Romano & Suau-Sanchez, Pere & Malighetti, Paolo & Redondi, Renato, 2017. "Low-cost carrier entry at small European airports: Low-cost carrier effects on network connectivity and self-transfer potential," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 68-79.
    16. Xinxiang Chen & Guanghua Chi & Guangqing Chi, 2018. "Do Airports Boost Economic Development by Attracting Talent? An Empirical Investigation at the Subcounty Level," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 99(1), pages 313-329, March.
    17. Tveter, Eivind, 2017. "The effect of airports on regional development: Evidence from the construction of regional airports in Norway," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 50-58.
    18. Mathias Heidinger & Fabian Wenner & Sebastian Sager & Paul Sussmann & Alain Thierstein, 2023. "Where do knowledge-intensive firms locate in Germany?—An explanatory framework using exponential random graph modeling [Welche Standorte wählen wissensintensive Unternehmen in Deutschland? – Ein Er," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 43(1), pages 101-124, April.
    19. Murakami, Jin & Matsui, Yurika & Kato, Hironori, 2016. "Airport rail links and economic productivity: Evidence from 82 cities with the world’s 100 busiest airports," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 89-99.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Airports; economic development;

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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