SFO widens culture, innovation gateway to and from Asia
Sample the best of San Francisco cuisine, watch homegrown musicians perform, shop for world-renowned brands and tour the country's only accredited museum located in an airport - all within minutes of arrival, right before departure or even between flights.
"Whether it is the prelude to or culmination of a business or leisure trip in the city, going through the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) promises a memorable experience all of its own," says John Martin, SFO airport director.
The second-busiest airport in California and the largest in the Bay Area, SFO serves more than 45 million domestic and international passengers travelling to 112 destinations annually. Beyond global recognition and awards, the airport takes even greater pride in being an economic, cultural and innovation gateway between the United States and the rest of the world - particularly Asia, which is among its fastest-growing markets.
Traffic to Asia has grown 15.5 per cent since 2009, driven by flights to Greater China, which SFO serves with a weekly total of 87 flights to and from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hong Kong and Taipei. These numbers are projected to further increase, thanks to the strong ties between China and San Francisco, which is home to more than 600,000 Chinese-Americans.
"Asian passengers spend more than twice as much time here as domestic travellers, making them a vital engine not only to SFO but the city's economy as a whole," Martin says. "We are working on ways to continue improving services that address their needs."
SFO's communication efforts, for instance, include the launch of the Flysfo.com/cn website and other Chinese-language promotional materials designed to educate guests prior to arrival. SFO is also developing mobile applications integrating geo-mapping for navigation through the airport, and enlists about 300 multilingual volunteers stationed at strategic locations, such as customs and inspection areas, to assist non-English-speaking guests.
