DENVER—A Colorado delegation taking the United Airlines 787 inaugural nonstop flight from Denver to Tokyo hopes to draw more flights to Asia, including Seoul, South Korea.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Colorado Tourism Director Al White and Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. CEO Tom Clark are among those who will take off from Denver International Airport headed for Japan next Monday.
According to the Denver Post ( ), some of the delegates later plan to visit Seoul in an effort to expand trade with that country.
The Japan flights were delayed because of technical problems with the aircraft that pushed the flight debut back from an original date of March.
“I cannot underscore the importance of this nonstop flight to Tokyo as we begin the process of really engaging what I believe are critical connections to business people in this Rocky Mountain region and the Asian economy,” Hancock said.
Nearly 70 Colorado business, tourism and government officials will be traveling to Japan next week in an attempt to drive home a message that Colorado is open for business and collaboration.
Japan is Colorado’s fourth-largest export market. Colorado’s annual manufactured and agricultural exports to Japan totaled more than $427 million last year, with 40 percent of that being shipped by air.
The Colorado delegation hopes to attract Japan’s tourism industry, educational exchange opportunities and economic development.
“We are one of those emerging new metropolitan regions that is a perfect fit for Japan with their focus on innovation,” Clark said.
Immediately following the Tokyo trip, Clark and Hancock will lead a smaller group that will travel on to Seoul, where they will tour Incheon International Airport, its Airport City and the Songdo Aerotropolis.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
