Great to see LH. Sadly I had to cancel my reservation on the inaugural but looks like it was a great event and a lot of fun no doubt. Look forward to seeing the trip reports and photos trickle in!
- 6,123
^Too bad! I was looking forward to snapping a fellow forum member's flight. (Don't ask me why I like that, but I do enjoy it.) I hope you get to ride it in the future. (I hope we both do.)
Explore St. Louis posted a fun local Lufthansa commercial:
That's a fun ad.
Not sure if anyone remembers—that’s an old ad from around 2010ish with the plane reskinned (with the old) Lufthansa logo. It’s a nice repurpose, actually works better. The previous concept was the same—travel the world in one city—except the ads ran Louisville and Indy.
- 2,929
You know what would be a great ad to put in Germany for these flights? That would really pack in the German travelers?
Blues music, live, from the biggest City along the Mississippi River.
Cultural uniqueness is one of those things that get people to travel. If they had an ad that just showed footage from the Blues Museum, that'd sell tickets. Have an ad that shows concerts at BB's, Broadway Oyster Bar, Hammerstone's, and outside Blues City Deli. Germans, and most Europeans, love American music, especially music that's rooted in Black American culture (stated with full respects). They'd sell a ton of flights hyping STL as the City that brought the world Miles Davis, Josephine Baker, and Chuck Berry. Add-in our barbeque, too.
I remember talking with @the count (CountOnDowntown) years ago when he was still on this forum and living in STL. Being a native of the Netherlands, he was all about this idea. He also thought it could lead to a boutique travel campaign for river cruises from STL down the Mississippi, stopping at places like Memphis, Natchez, and New Orleans. Such cruises could tie into music, Mark Twain's stories, and food. If I had the capital, I'd be all over this.
I think that it would be a great idea to include nods to our brewing heritage and wine country in addition to the things you mentioned. We're reconnected to the world again by way of Germany. The appeal for a ton of Europeans is out there. And flying into St. Louis gives people the opportunity to see what's referred to as fly-over country. They could take Amtrak (which might be more appealing as the new rail cars roll into service) or on that Mississippi River Cruise.gone corporate wrote: ↑Jun 02, 2022You know what would be a great ad to put in Germany for these flights? That would really pack in the German travelers?
Blues music, live, from the biggest City along the Mississippi River.
Cultural uniqueness is one of those things that get people to travel. If they had an ad that just showed footage from the Blues Museum, that'd sell tickets. Have an ad that shows concerts at BB's, Broadway Oyster Bar, Hammerstone's, and outside Blues City Deli. Germans, and most Europeans, love American music, especially music that's rooted in Black American culture (stated with full respects). They'd sell a ton of flights hyping STL as the City that brought the world Miles Davis, Josephine Baker, and Chuck Berry. Add-in our barbeque, too.
I remember talking with @the count (CountOnDowntown) years ago when he was still on this forum and living in STL. Being a native of the Netherlands, he was all about this idea. He also thought it could lead to a boutique travel campaign for river cruises from STL down the Mississippi, stopping at places like Memphis, Natchez, and New Orleans. Such cruises could tie into music, Mark Twain's stories, and food. If I had the capital, I'd be all over this.
- 6,123
Funny you should say that. They have three minute spots doing more or less that exactly in French and Spanish. It's time to do one in German.gone corporate wrote: ↑Jun 02, 2022You know what would be a great ad to put in Germany for these flights? That would really pack in the German travelers?
Blues music, live, from the biggest City along the Mississippi River.
Cultural uniqueness is one of those things that get people to travel. If they had an ad that just showed footage from the Blues Museum, that'd sell tickets. Have an ad that shows concerts at BB's, Broadway Oyster Bar, Hammerstone's, and outside Blues City Deli. Germans, and most Europeans, love American music, especially music that's rooted in Black American culture (stated with full respects). They'd sell a ton of flights hyping STL as the City that brought the world Miles Davis, Josephine Baker, and Chuck Berry. Add-in our barbeque, too.
I remember talking with @the count (CountOnDowntown) years ago when he was still on this forum and living in STL. Being a native of the Netherlands, he was all about this idea. He also thought it could lead to a boutique travel campaign for river cruises from STL down the Mississippi, stopping at places like Memphis, Natchez, and New Orleans. Such cruises could tie into music, Mark Twain's stories, and food. If I had the capital, I'd be all over this.
- 2,929
^^Agree 100%. With beers, we have UCBC whose Brewmaster, Florian Kuplent, has roots in Germany. Both their beer selection (focused on German-style beers) and their beerhall designs would really be attractive to the Germans. Our wines also are German-centric, with lots of sweet white wines that're straight out of the Bavarian style. As the redevelopment of Augusta into a national wine destination comes together, this would really sell the region as a travel haven for Europeans.
We really have a plethora of cultural elements that are wholly foreign to European travelers. Identifying and hyping these should be a major focus. Who knows, maybe we could end up exporting Four Hands and gooey butter cake to a new market in Frankfurt.
We really have a plethora of cultural elements that are wholly foreign to European travelers. Identifying and hyping these should be a major focus. Who knows, maybe we could end up exporting Four Hands and gooey butter cake to a new market in Frankfurt.
- 6,123
^Ooh, you and Chris hit on some nice ideas there. Maybe a cruise one way and a music train the other? Kind of a Mississippi Orient Express? Maybe hit destinations on one side of the river in the cruise and the other side on the train. And you could have each going both ways. Take the train north, spend a few days in St. Louis, and cruise south. Cruise north, take the train south, and spend a few days in New Orleans. Something like that. You could have slightly different offerings each direction to cater to different audiences. And maybe offer side trips out of St. Louis to Kansas City as an extra. The River Runner already has the right stops. You'd just need to make the timings work.
- 1,610
Memphis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, St. Paul are all bigger
- 9,563
yeah i am sure a German tourist is looking at just central city population
metro stl has more people than Memphis and New Orleans metro combined and 270,000 extra people to spare.
^^ Yeah he whiffed on the Twin Cities…but when considering metropolitan areas St. Louis is significantly larger than Memphis and NOLA.
Who cares about urban core populations when cities like Memphis annexed sizable chunks of suburban surroundings?
Who cares about urban core populations when cities like Memphis annexed sizable chunks of suburban surroundings?
- 2,929
@symphonicpoet Good ideas there. But, there isn't a direct train for STL-NOLA, right?
I do see that Lufthansa does have flights between FRA and MSY (NOLA)... which is nice.
@Bart Harley Jarvis As a Metropolitan Area, STL is bigger than Memphis and New Orleans. Also, when I'm thinking about blues music, I don't think of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With the loss of The Purple One (RIP), I'm not so sure we could see a Minnesota music draw for many Europeans. FYI Viking River Cruises does offer Mississippi River cruises from Minneapolis to New Orleans already, but not yet one dedicated as STL-NOLA. I think this could be an opportunity for them, with this new flight being the impetus for expanded offerings.
I do see that Lufthansa does have flights between FRA and MSY (NOLA)... which is nice.
@Bart Harley Jarvis As a Metropolitan Area, STL is bigger than Memphis and New Orleans. Also, when I'm thinking about blues music, I don't think of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With the loss of The Purple One (RIP), I'm not so sure we could see a Minnesota music draw for many Europeans. FYI Viking River Cruises does offer Mississippi River cruises from Minneapolis to New Orleans already, but not yet one dedicated as STL-NOLA. I think this could be an opportunity for them, with this new flight being the impetus for expanded offerings.
- 1,610
^Sure, that's fair. Just pointing out it wouldn't necessarily be honest to advertise STL as the largest city.
Chicago and St. Louis just joined a small list of American pairs with high-frequency train service and Europe international air on both ends. “Best of the Midwest” with one flight in and one flight out. NO DRIVING NECESSARY.
Chicago to St. Louis: 5 trips per day, ~5 hours, regional mass transit on both ends to both airport and train stations.
Chicago to Detroit: 3 trips per day, averages 6 hours. No mass transit at either Detroit airport or Amtrak.
Chicago to Indianapolis: 1-2 trips per day, 4 to 5 hours. No mass transit at either Indianapolis airport or Amtrak.
Chicago to Milwaukee: 6 trips per day, 1.5 hours but would require trip back to Chicago for return flight. No regional mass transit connection at Milwaukee Amtrak.
Chicago to St. Louis: 5 trips per day, ~5 hours, regional mass transit on both ends to both airport and train stations.
Chicago to Detroit: 3 trips per day, averages 6 hours. No mass transit at either Detroit airport or Amtrak.
Chicago to Indianapolis: 1-2 trips per day, 4 to 5 hours. No mass transit at either Indianapolis airport or Amtrak.
Chicago to Milwaukee: 6 trips per day, 1.5 hours but would require trip back to Chicago for return flight. No regional mass transit connection at Milwaukee Amtrak.
- 6,123
That's why I was thinking an "Orient Express" style tourist charter. There isn't a scheduled Amtrak train, no. But there are tracks where such a thing could happen. And an occasional luxury tourist train powered by diesels probably wouldn't be an exceptionally hard sell tot he freight railroads, just so long as it operates at track speed.gone corporate wrote: ↑Jun 02, 2022@symphonicpoet Good ideas there. But, there isn't a direct train for STL-NOLA, right?
I do see that Lufthansa does have flights between FRA and MSY (NOLA)... which is nice.
@Bart Harley Jarvis As a Metropolitan Area, STL is bigger than Memphis and New Orleans. Also, when I'm thinking about blues music, I don't think of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With the loss of The Purple One (RIP), I'm not so sure we could see a Minnesota music draw for many Europeans. FYI Viking River Cruises does offer Mississippi River cruises from Minneapolis to New Orleans already, but not yet one dedicated as STL-NOLA. I think this could be an opportunity for them, with this new flight being the impetus for expanded offerings.
^Will be even better as speeds improve along the line. Yes, that's a real selling point there. Fly into one, tour it, ride the rails to the other. Tour it too and grab a flight home. We should be marketing all of this (and the river cruises) heavily.
The ‘Blues’ angle - STL to New Orleans/Viking is a good one. That’s ‘pitchable’ and aligns exiting resources. I also like the train idea. (Of course).
Years ago, I met a mother and her adult son from Germany on the Texas Eagle. They were visiting the US, flew in to Dallas, spent a lot of time in the Southwest but decided to fly out of Chicago. Taking the train was their low commitment way ‘sightseeing’ the Midwest.
Years ago, I met a mother and her adult son from Germany on the Texas Eagle. They were visiting the US, flew in to Dallas, spent a lot of time in the Southwest but decided to fly out of Chicago. Taking the train was their low commitment way ‘sightseeing’ the Midwest.
- 667
The Points Guy has a write up on the Lufthansa inaugural flight.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa ... ip-report/
https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa ... ip-report/
April numbers for STL are out
Passengers
Up 54% vs April 2021
Down 16.2% vs April 2019 — keeps creeping closer
Up 74.3% YTD vs 2021
Down 21.2% YTD vs 2019
Passengers
Up 54% vs April 2021
Down 16.2% vs April 2019 — keeps creeping closer
Up 74.3% YTD vs 2021
Down 21.2% YTD vs 2019
That is the most ridiculous thing to say. Seriously!Bart Harley Jarvis wrote: ↑Jun 02, 2022^Sure, that's fair. Just pointing out it wouldn't necessarily be honest to advertise STL as the largest city.
Favorite quote:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa ... ip-report/
“Based on the booking numbers, this flight is already a success,” said Frank Naeve, Lufthansa’s vice president of sales for the Americas."
This entire article is a *must* read IMO. Great information, photos inside/outside aircraft, info on Business Class / First Class Lounge (WingTips was necessary for Lufthansa), and much more!
https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa ... ip-report/
https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa ... ip-report/
“Based on the booking numbers, this flight is already a success,” said Frank Naeve, Lufthansa’s vice president of sales for the Americas."
This entire article is a *must* read IMO. Great information, photos inside/outside aircraft, info on Business Class / First Class Lounge (WingTips was necessary for Lufthansa), and much more!
https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa ... ip-report/
New Orleans does NOT have flights on Lufthansa.gone corporate wrote: ↑Jun 02, 2022@symphonicpoet Good ideas there. But, there isn't a direct train for STL-NOLA, right?
I do see that Lufthansa does have flights between FRA and MSY (NOLA)... which is nice.
@Bart Harley Jarvis As a Metropolitan Area, STL is bigger than Memphis and New Orleans. Also, when I'm thinking about blues music, I don't think of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With the loss of The Purple One (RIP), I'm not so sure we could see a Minnesota music draw for many Europeans. FYI Viking River Cruises does offer Mississippi River cruises from Minneapolis to New Orleans already, but not yet one dedicated as STL-NOLA. I think this could be an opportunity for them, with this new flight being the impetus for expanded offerings.
Lufthansa USA Airports: https://www.flightconnections.com/route ... fthansa-lh