Economic Impact Analysis of Appleton International Airport and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary: Economic Growth and Regional Prosperity

A 2024 study reveals the Appleton International Airport (ATW) generates a total economic impact of nearly $2 billion for its surrounding region, which includes Outagamie, Brown, Winnebago, and Calumet counties. The report highlights the airport’s role as a primary economic engine, demonstrating significant growth since the last analysis in 2015. The findings underscore the airport’s substantial contributions to regional employment, business revenue, and public tax generation, aligning its operations with key global development objectives.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The airport’s growth and operational outputs directly support several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning it as a key contributor to sustainable regional development.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The airport is a significant driver of employment and economic activity, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth.

  • The airport supported a total of 7,626 jobs in 2024 through direct operations, tenant companies, visitor spending, and supply chain effects.
  • It generated $1.3 billion in direct business sales from airport operations and visitor expenditures, which stimulates further economic activity as revenue is reinvested in the local economy.
  • Direct on-site employment has more than doubled since 2015, growing from 1,314 to 3,274 employees, providing decent work for thousands in the community.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  ATW serves as a vital piece of resilient infrastructure, fostering innovation and connecting the region’s industries to national markets.

  • Continued investment in the expansion of services and facilities enhances the region’s infrastructure, a core tenet of SDG 9.
  • By providing nationwide access for businesses and consumers, the airport supports industrial diversification and economic resilience.
  • The increase in daily departures from 13 in 2015 to nearly 21 in 2024 demonstrates a commitment to building and upgrading infrastructure to meet growing demand.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The economic vitality spurred by the airport contributes to making the Fox Cities region a more inclusive, safe, and resilient place to live and conduct business.

  • The airport’s total tax impact of $325.4 million, including $205.1 million in state and local taxes, provides substantial funding for public services that enhance community well-being.
  • The multiplier effect of the airport’s growth supports a vibrant local economy, which is foundational for sustainable communities.

Key Performance Indicators: 2015-2024 Growth

A comparison of key metrics from 2015 to 2024 illustrates the airport’s significant operational expansion.

1. Passenger Volume: The airport served over one million passengers for the first time in 2024, nearly doubling the 512,000 passengers served in 2015.
2. Flight Operations: The average number of daily departures increased from 13 in 2015 to almost 21 in 2024.
3. Direct Employment: The number of individuals employed directly at the airport grew from 1,314 in 2015 to 3,274 in 2024.

Conclusion: A Catalyst for Sustainable Regional Development

The Appleton International Airport functions as a critical economic catalyst, with its growth directly fueling regional prosperity. Leadership attributes this success to innovative governance and a team-wide dedication to service. The airport’s strategy, focused on enhancing convenience for travelers and expanding economic opportunities for the community, is fundamentally aligned with the principles of sustainable development. Its contributions to job creation, infrastructure development, and public revenue generation confirm its role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals within the region.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article directly addresses this goal by detailing the significant economic impact of the Appleton International Airport. It highlights job creation, business sales, and overall economic contribution to the region, which are central themes of SDG 8.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  This goal is relevant as the article focuses on an airport, which is a critical piece of infrastructure. The discussion of expanding services and facilities, increasing passenger numbers, and enhancing regional access points to the development of “quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure” as promoted by SDG 9.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation.
   • The article supports this target by showing how the airport acts as an “economic engine” with a “multiplier effect on the region.” The growth in operations, such as the increase in daily departures and passenger volume, reflects enhanced productivity and service innovation. The airport’s success is attributed to “innovative leadership” and a commitment to making travel “faster, easier, and more convenient.”
2. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
   • The article directly relates to this target by quantifying job creation. It states that the airport supported 7,626 jobs in 2024 and that direct employment at the airport more than doubled from 1,314 in 2015 to 3,274 in 2024. This demonstrates a significant contribution to regional employment.
3. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
   • The article’s entire focus is on the airport as a key piece of regional infrastructure. The statement that the airport “provides nationwide access to businesses and consumers” and the “continued investment in the expansion of services and facilities” directly align with the development of quality and reliable infrastructure to support economic development.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Total Economic Impact: The article states a “total economic impact of nearly $2 billion on the region.” This figure serves as a direct indicator of the airport’s contribution to regional economic growth (relevant to SDG 8).
• Direct Business Sales: The figure of “$1.3 billion of direct business sales” is a specific indicator of economic activity generated by the airport and its visitors (relevant to SDG 8).
• Number of Jobs Supported: The metric of “7,626 jobs in 2024” is a clear indicator for measuring progress on employment targets (relevant to Target 8.5). The specific increase in on-site employment from 1,314 to 3,274 also serves as a powerful indicator of job growth.
• Tax Revenue Generated: The “$325.4 million” in total tax impact, including “$205.1 million paid in state and local taxes,” is an indicator of the airport’s financial contribution to public services and government revenue (relevant to SDG 8).
• Passenger Volume: The increase in passengers served from 512,000 in 2015 to “over a million in 2024” is a key performance indicator for infrastructure usage and effectiveness (relevant to Target 9.1).
• Flight Operations: The rise in the “average number of departures per day” from 13 in 2015 to “nearly 21 in 2024” indicates an expansion of services and operational capacity, measuring the development of infrastructure (relevant to Target 9.1).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wbay.com