By Elizabeth Behrman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
As Tampa International Airport celebrates its first new European service in 15 years, tourism officials here are working hard to make the flights a big a deal over there.
That's because they expect most of the passengers on the twice weekly round trips to Zurich to come from Switzerland and Germany.
To lure them, tourism and economic development agencies have kicked in about $800,000 to promote the flights on Edelweiss Air. That has bought, among other things, 300 billboards scattered around Switzerland and Germany promoting Tampa Bay.
And the travel website Expedia will offer Europeans vacation packages to the bay area.
The inaugural flight arrives Friday evening, and the airport will welcome the first passengers with a Swiss- and beach-themed celebration in the main terminal.
"It's really a team effort, and everybody is working together to make ...