Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter will lead a 40-person delegation to Japan and China for 10 days departing Saturday to promote direct Tokyo-Denver flights and other economic ties.
Joining Ritter will be officials from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Colorado State University.
“The national and international economies are somewhat in turmoil, but we have to be aggressive in our economic-development efforts,” Ritter said this morning at the state Capitol. “We don’t think this is the time to pull back. I think this trip is extremely well timed.”
It is the fourth trip Colorado and Denver officials have made to Japan to seek direct flights since Ritter took office. Ritter has traveled to Canada and Spain as governor but not to Asia.
Denver’s hopes to land direct Tokyo flights have been lifted by Boeing’s development of the 787, which could debut next year. The plane’s capacity of 200 to 300 passengers, smaller than a 747, makes Denver a viable market, said Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Denver Metro Economic Development Corp.
Clark said All Nippon Airways plans to commit just two of its new 787s to North America next year. Denver is competing with Seattle, Los Angeles, Boston and Miami, he said.
Greg Griffin: 303-954-1241 or ggriffin@denverpost.com
