Perceptions on Regional Benefit of Airport Development and Operation

Airport development and operation has a significant impact on local economy. However, the impact is assessed differently from different perspectives. In this paper, the authors investigated how the public think on the benefit of airport development and operation from a regional perspective. More specifically, the paper focuses on what the main factors are in public perceptions on the regional benefit of airport development and operation. The authors analyzed a survey collected in South Korea using structural equation models. The authors assigned five categories of perception factors and examined these factor relationships regarding the ripple effects caused by airport development and operation on each region. The five factors were “increased use in air transportation”, “increased exchange with other regions”, “regional economic benefit”, “regional development”, and “dis-benefit to the region”. The model was verified with structural equations and path analysis results for each factor. It was revealed that people perceive the increased use in air transportation and the increased exchange with other regions as bringing about the most significant ripple effects, followed by regional development and regional economic benefit in this order, according to the order of path groups. The results of this paper are expected to provide stakeholders’ perspectives and insights when planning airport development and operation.