SPRINGDALE -- Arkansas Helicopters LLC is making sure this Valentine's Day that lovers spend time with their heads actually in the clouds.
The Springdale-based company likes to capitalize on the special day to offer specialty tour packages to gift-givers who want to go beyond a card and maybe a night at the movies. This is the third year the company has offered helicopter tour packages for those who want to celebrate the day by soaring with their sweetheart.
"It's an incredible experience," said Lee McAhren, co-owner of Arkansas helicopters and the company's creative director. "It beats a box of chocolates by a mile."
Arkansas Helicopters doesn't just do the tours. The company offers a wide variety of aerial services, including flight instruction, charters, aerial photography and survey work. Over the past several years the company added flyovers for special events such as Bikes Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville, holidays like Christmas and seasonal happenings like the beauty of the Ozarks fall foliage to add business with targeted offerings for customers.
The flights began Saturday and run though Valentine's Day on Tuesday.
Arkansas Helicopters has three tour packages available for Valentine's Day, including a $99 six-minute aerial jaunt to the Lake Fayetteville area that includes a $25 gift card to one of several area restaurants; a $199 deal that includes a 12-minute flight over downtown Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas vicinity and a $50 restaurant gift card; and the top package, a 20-minute trip northward to the Pinnacle Hills area, downtown Bentonville, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art for $299, also with a restaurant card worth $50. All of the trips come with a box of chocolates.
For 2017, those under Cupid's sway are expected to spend $18.2 billion on the holiday, according to a study commissioned by the National Retail Federation. That's down from last year's record $19.7 billion. According to the survey, over most of the last 10 years people increased their spending on the holiday, but the number of those who said they celebrated the holiday dropped by nearly 10 percent over the same period.
On average, people said they'd spend about $136.57 on the holiday, down from last year's record of $146.84. When breaking down that lump sum, the survey noted they plan to spend $85.21 on a spouse or significant other, $26.59 on family members, $6.56 on children's school chums and their teachers, $6.51 on friends; $4.27 on co-workers and $4.44 on pets.
The retail federation notes that gifts of experience are popular this year, including tickets to a ballgame, a gym membership or an outdoor adventure. According to the survey, while 40 percent of consumers would like to receive an experience gift, only 24 percent plan to give one.
Camron McAhren is a pilot and co-owner of Arkansas Helicopters, and Lee McAhren's husband. He said a helicopter ride is a thrilling experience that's still well within most people's comfort zone. He said the two Robinson R-44 helicopters used for the tours are very reliable, seat four and have a solid safety record.
He said a helicopter flight allows smooth takeoffs and landings and provides a slower and smoother ride when compared with fixed wing aircraft.
"The visibility is simply amazing," he said.
The sightseeing transportation industry is expected to take in revenue of $4.3 billion with profits of $510.7 million for 2017, according to a June report by market research company IBISWorld. The market is expected to see growth over the next five years, with a projected average annual revenue increase of 3 percent.
Aerial sightseeing services, which includes helicopter rides, hot air balloons and small airplanes, make up a little more than 17 percent of the sightseeing transportation market, behind ground services at a tad over 28 percent and nautical services -- excluding cruises -- at 24 percent. The report notes that aerial sightseeing tends to be the most expensive of the services, due to its privacy and the limits on passengers.
"Rising consumer income and the unique and breathtaking scenery that aerial tours offer has helped spur its growth over the last five years to 2016," the report notes.
Jeffrey Salzer, Northwest Arkansas senior area manager with the United States Small Business Administration, said Valentines's Day, and all holidays for that matter, make up a big slice of retail sales overall and that it's smart for small businesses to explore ways to capitalize on that demand.
"Small business can compete for those sales if they find a niche and are innovative about holiday marketing," he said.
At Arkansas Helicopters, one key is being attentive and responsive to a customer's specific needs, and that's why they insist on taking reservations by phone, so they can talk directly to the future client, Lee McAhren said.
"With it being Valentine's Day they can make a special request," he said. "We get a lot of surprises and lots of proposals."
SundayMonday Business on 02/12/2017