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Allegiant transforms leisure travel space by opening new resort in Southwest Florida

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Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) celebrates the opening of Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, a 22-acre hotel-resort in Southwest Florida, marking a major milestone in the company's evolution as an integrated travel company.
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The opening of Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor by Allegiant Travel Company represents a strategic move into the hospitality sector, diversifying the company's revenue streams beyond traditional airline operations. This expansion could potentially enhance earnings stability by reducing reliance on the volatile airline industry, where factors such as fuel costs and economic downturns can significantly impact profitability.

Analysts would monitor the resort's occupancy rates, average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) as key performance indicators. A successful integration of the resort operations with the existing airline business could lead to cross-selling opportunities, potentially increasing customer loyalty and spend per traveler. However, this venture also carries risks, as the hospitality industry is subject to its own set of challenges, including competition, regulatory issues and sensitivity to economic cycles.

The long-term implications for stakeholders include the possibility of Allegiant establishing a more robust and resilient business model, but it will require effective management of the new asset and careful monitoring of the return on investment. Additionally, this move could signal a shift in the leisure travel industry, with other airlines potentially following suit in seeking to provide a more integrated travel experience.

Allegiant's foray into the resort business with the launch of Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is indicative of the broader trend in the travel industry towards vertical integration. By owning both the means of travel and the destination accommodations, Allegiant can potentially offer competitive package deals to consumers and gain a larger share of the customer's overall travel budget.

From an industry perspective, this development could prompt other companies to consider similar expansions to stay competitive. The success of such a venture will be closely watched as a case study for the feasibility of an airline operating in the hospitality space. However, the move also raises questions about the company's ability to manage a complex operation outside of its core competency. The travel and hospitality sectors require different operational expertise, customer service approaches and marketing strategies.

Understanding the synergies between Allegiant's airline services and the new resort will be crucial for stakeholders. If the integration proves successful, it could pave the way for a new business model within the travel industry. Conversely, if the venture fails to meet expectations, it may serve as a cautionary tale about the risks of over-diversification.

The economic implications of Allegiant Travel Company's investment in Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor can be multifaceted. On a macroeconomic level, this development could be seen as a positive sign of growth in the leisure travel sector, potentially leading to job creation and increased economic activity in the region. The investment in a large-scale resort also reflects confidence in long-term demand for domestic travel and leisure services.

However, the project's success will depend on broader economic factors, including disposable income levels, travel trends and the overall health of the economy. A downturn could negatively affect both the airline and hospitality arms of the business. Conversely, a thriving economy could amplify the benefits of this integrated travel approach.

Investors and stakeholders would need to consider the capital expenditure involved in such a project and the time horizon for seeing a return on this investment. The economic performance of the resort will be a key determinant in assessing whether the expansion into hospitality provides a net benefit to Allegiant's financial health.

Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor marks major milestone in travel company's history

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) continues to re-shape the domestic leisure travel space with last week's opening of Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, the airline's highly-anticipated hotel-resort located on the Gulf Coast in Southwest Florida.

The resort – spanning over 22 waterfront acres with 785 premier guestrooms – marks a major milestone in Allegiant's evolution as an integrated travel company, expanding opportunities it provides to its customers while setting the standard for the future of leisure travel.

"This is a transformational project for Allegiant," said Maurice J. Gallagher, CEO and founder of Allegiant. "It's a catalyst for our continued growth as an integrated travel company and an example of how the industry can adapt to continue providing customers with the products and services they want."

Sunseeker joins Allegiant's vast portfolio of ancillary products including rental cars, professional sports packages and more. The airline has been selling hotel rooms to customers on behalf of third parties for more than 18 years.

"We have helped pioneer selling ancillary products both inside and outside of an airplane, in turn, diversifying our revenue streams," said Gregory Anderson, Allegiant president. "Over the past five years, we have sold on average about 300,000 'third-party' hotel room nights per year to our customers. The opening of Sunseeker Resort is a key milestone in providing more customer offerings through our 'first-party' integrated resort." 

Binding both the airline and hotel is ALLWAYS Rewards, Allegiant's aspirational loyalty program. Members can earn loyalty points by flying Allegiant, staying at Sunseeker, renting a car through Allegiant.com and more. Members can redeem those loyalty points on any service or amenity acquired through Allegiant Travel Company.

Allegiant first announced the resort in 2017, selecting the Charlotte County, Fla. region as the ideal location for the resort due to the airline's growth and success with air travel in the area. As of September, Allegiant has flown approximately 1.8 million passengers in and out of Punta Gorda Airport, a base of operations for the airline, located only minutes away from Sunseeker.

Many of those customers are what Allegiant refers to as "Avid Travelers," which make up about a third of Allegiant's total customer base. They fly Allegiant and other airlines nearly 10 times a year, choosing Allegiant for its nonstop, point-to-point flights.

Airfare is generally the smallest component of our leisure customer's budget, Allegiant's President Anderson said. The largest percentage of their vacation is spent on lodging along with food and beverage. With a world-class resort, 20 curated food and beverage brands and a retail shopping experience, Sunseeker Resort gives Allegiant the ability to provide enhanced experiences for our customers who visit Southwest Florida.

More than 85 percent of Allegiant's customers say that, after buying airfare, they purchase lodging, followed by activities such as dining, spa visits and golf outings. Sunseeker Resort offers a variety of those leisure activities which will make it a major draw for those traveling to Southwest Florida, Anderson added.

Since launching its first Florida destination in 2005, Allegiant's air service in the state has grown to 10 cities and more than 200 routes. In total, Allegiant flies nearly 8 million leisure travelers in and out of Florida every year, generating more than $2 billion in annual economic impact in the state. In addition to its service to Punta Gorda, Allegiant currently operates flights from nearby St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) – all within a two-hour drive of Charlotte Harbor.

The travel company's presence supports nearly 21,000 jobs in Florida. Sunseeker will create more than 1,000 permanent jobs in the Charlotte County area alone, and is anticipated to spark an increase of 300,000 visitors annually to the area. Conservative modeling estimates up to $1 billion in economic impact at a ten-year horizon.

In addition to the F&B concepts, Sunseeker offers 60,000-square-feet of meeting and event space, two unique pool experiences and seven unique retail outlets. A state-of-the-art fitness center and spa are located in the main tower. The resort also features the guest exclusive Aileron Golf Club, with lush greens, year-round sun and distinctive course design.

For more information, visit Allegiant.com.

Allegiant – Together We Fly

Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For more information, visit us at Allegiant.com. Media information, including photos, is available at http://gofly.us/iiFa303wrtF

Media Contact 
Phone: 702-800-2020
Email: mediarelations@allegiantair.com

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SOURCE Allegiant Travel Company

FAQ

What is the latest milestone achieved by Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT)?

Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) has opened Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, a 22-acre hotel-resort in Southwest Florida, expanding its opportunities in the leisure travel space.

Where is Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor located?

Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is located on the Gulf Coast in Southwest Florida.

Who is the CEO and founder of Allegiant Travel Company?

Maurice J. Gallagher is the CEO and founder of Allegiant Travel Company.

How does Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor impact Allegiant's growth?

Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is a catalyst for Allegiant's continued growth as an integrated travel company.

What are some of the ancillary products offered by Allegiant Travel Company?

Allegiant offers a vast portfolio of ancillary products including rental cars, professional sports packages, and more.

How long has Allegiant been selling hotel rooms to customers?

Allegiant has been selling hotel rooms to customers on behalf of third parties for more than 18 years.

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