The helicopter tourism market in North America is expected to grow from US$ 272.50 million in 2021 to US$ 349.52 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.6% from 2021 to 2028. The tourism sector is influenced by factors such as size of the economy, GDP growth, travel infrastructure development, population, industry mix, and regulatory policies. These factors vary from one country to another and affect the travel spending in that country. The tourism industry has spurred stupendously over the years and is at a constant rise. The demand for tourism among every class of society has led to the emergence of various types of tourism modes. Roadway tourism has dominated the industry for a long period; however, newer robust tourism modes are emerging in the recent years, such as waterways-based tourism and aerial tourism. The increase in disposable income among the masses in developed countries, as well as developing countries has resulted in rise in aerial tourism through helicopter. This factor has positively impacted the North America helicopter tourism market. Additionally, the rising craze of Heli taxi service is among the other factors expected to fuel the demand for helicopter tourism in North America.
Based on tourism type, the customized tourism segment led the North America helicopter tourism market. In a constantly changing world, the internet access, one of the major factors responsible for this change, has brought the individuals an infinite possibility, along with empowerment. In the present scenario, the consumers have become more demanding, and they search for various alternatives. The customers simply search for the same deal in hundreds of reservations websites and applications with simple mouse clicks in a matter of minutes. Many travel and tourism companies report that the sales focus is increasingly shifting to private and exclusive custom trip requests. This, in turn, is forcing the companies to adopt new business strategies such as creating new synergies between partners, building new systems, and training the staff to support customers, especially in selection process of all the available options. This customizing process initiates with understanding the requirements of the individuals, families, and groups and filtering out the best possible plans that fit with their needs. The major benefit of customized tours is the travelers have the chance to go anywhere they wish, anytime. Further, these customized tours guarantee the client a unique and exclusive experience. Likewise, the various helicopter tour service providers offer customized tours to their customers depending on their desire to travel.
The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is severely affecting North America. The US is the worst-hit country in North America due to the outbreak of COVID-19, with thousands of infected individuals facing severe health conditions across the country. Most of the tourist destinations were either temporarily shut or are operating with limited number of visitors as per government prescribed guidelines; the flying hours of helicopters at tourist destinations have been reduced drastically due to lack of passengers; these are some of the critical issues faced by the North American tourism industry. As per the study, more than 2/3rd of helicopter operators in the US admitted that their business has reduced by more than 50% in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. The US is one of the largest markets for helicopter tourism services, especially for aerial sightseeing of cities such as Vegas, New York, Grand Canyon, and Kauai. At present, all of them are operating with less tourists on board following the government set protocol of social distancing.
The overall North America helicopter tourism market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources. To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market. The process also serves the purpose of obtaining an overview and forecast for the North America helicopter tourism market with respect to all the segments pertaining to the region. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the North America helicopter tourism market. Bird’s Eye View Helicopters LLC; Heli Chicago; Helicopter Flight Services, Inc.; Liberty helicopter; Maverick Aviation Group; Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters; and Zip Aviation are among the key players operating in the North America helicopter tourism market.