The popular video series SoWeFlo Life prominently featured Elite Jets in a December 2021 episode. Presented by John R. Wood Properties, SoWeFlo Life celebrates the people and beauty of Southwest Florida.

The video, titled “This Little Airport Rocks Our Local Economy,” explored the economic impact of Naples Airport in Southwest Florida. Host Larry Kain explains the impact through an interview with Matthew Vos, a Realtor with John R. Wood. Vos also is a Phenom 300 captain and Legacy 500 first officer at Elite Jets.

“It’s actually vital to the community and the extraordinary lifestyle that we get to live down here because of all that it brings in,” Vos said.

Economic Impact

The Florida Department of Transportation’s 2019 Economic Impact Study pegged the Naples Airport’s impact at $440.2 million. That includes direct impacts at the airport, like tenant leases, fuel purchases and taxes. However, indirect impacts are just as important. Indirect impacts include visitor spending on things like buying goods from small businesses, attending shows and concerts, eating at restaurants and enjoying attractions. Indirect impacts also measure spending from airport employees. Elite Jets, for example, has more than 45 employees who work, live and play – and spend their money – in Collier and Lee counties.

Kain notes how affluent visitors, seasonal residents and year-round residents drive real estate prices in Southwest Florida. And how do those individuals travel to Southwest Florida? By air.

“Imagine how different the value of all our land would be if this region couldn’t provide this level of convenience to the people who drive up the value of our highest-end real estate,” Kain said. “The ripple effects just go on and on and on.”

Vos agrees.

“Forbes did a study and they said that we are in the top 10 most affluential people in the world,” Vos said. “We get a lot of high-end visitors that wouldn’t necessarily choose Naples if it weren’t for our airport. If it wasn’t here, they would buy real estate elsewhere.”

Extreme Convenience

The primary reason that affluent business and leisure travelers fly privately is because of convenience. They can travel nonstop to destinations across North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Elite Jets’ white diamond concierge services include a Tesla charging station, chauffeur and car detailing services. On board, passengers enjoy high-speed Wi-Fi, personalized temperature controls, recliner-like leather massaging seats and a digital entertainment system to watch movies, TV shows and news.

From its base at Naples Airport, jets are just a few minutes from beachfront mansions and waterfront estates.

“Matt and Elite Jets wanted to show us how convenient ‘extreme convenience’ is, so they said to us, ‘Why don’t we all go out for dinner... in Key West,” Kain said. “So that’s what we did. We hopped on a jet and we went to Key West and we had dinner!”

Want a convenient, luxurious travel experience? Please give us a call at 239-900-9000 or send an email to Charter@EliteJets.com.

Watch the full episode on SoWeFlo Life