New Hampshire Film and Television Office, Southwest Airlines announce partnership

Southwest Airlines is now the Official Airline of the New Hampshire Film and Television Office.

The low-cost air carrier and the New Hampshire Film and Television Office are working together to promote the state as a film-friendly destination by bringing out-of-state industry members to New Hampshire to learn more about why they should bring their productions here.

“There are so many advantages to shooting in New Hampshire: there’s no sales tax, no income tax, no general film permits to fill out and the costs for food, lodging and other expenses tend to be lower than they are elsewhere,” said Matthew Newton, director of the New Hampshire Film and Television Office. “Then there’s the natural beauty of our mountains, lakes, forests and beaches, our classic New England villages and urban settings, and a myriad of other locations all ready to be used as sets. Constructing any of those would be an outrageous cost for a producer; here, they’re ready to go.”

“Southwest Airlines is pleased to be working with the New Hampshire Film and Television Office to bring filmmakers and other media professionals to the Granite State,” said Leslie Isselhard for Southwest Airlines. “We believe New Hampshire is a fantastic destination for filmmakers and businesses.”

The Southwest Airlines-New Hampshire Film and Television Office partnership will play a role in increasing the number of locally produced projects by creating awareness about the ease of access to the state via the airline. This will increase the state’s profile within the industry as well as increase the economic impact from money spent in-state by visiting production companies.

“We’re pleased to partner with Southwest Airlines, a national carrier that understands the advantage that New Hampshire has when it comes to film and television production,” said New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources Commissioner Van McLeod. “When people from the industry fly into Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, they’ll be impressed with the variety of locations and the quality of people available to them within a few hour’s drive—or even closer.”

After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to offer the best value in airline travel, allowing Customers the opportunity to travel nonstop throughout the country at a very low fare. Southwest does not charge Customers an extra fee for changing their reservation and continues to offer free amenities, with complimentary pillows, blankets, snacks, juice, soda and water on all flights. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest convenient and simple. Since 1987, the airline has maintained the fewest overall Customer complaints as published in the Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation’s largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. To learn more visit: www.southwest.com.

The New Hampshire Film and Television Office, as part of the New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources, works to expand business activity and employment throughout the state by acting as a liaison between the film industry and an established network of government agencies, the state’s film industry workforce and local property owners. The Office is responsible for location assistance, public relations and general production support in an effort to broaden the cultural and economic impact of film and television production in the state. For more information about film and television production in New Hampshire, call (603) 271-2220 or visit www.nh.gov/film.

New Hampshire’s Department of Cultural Resources includes the State Council on the Arts, the Film and Television Office, the Division of Historical Resources, the State Library and the American Canadian French Cultural Exchange Commission. The Department strives to nurture the cultural well-being of our state. From the covered bridges and traditional music of our past to the avant-garde performances and technological resources of today and tomorrow, New Hampshire’s culture is as varied as its geography and its people. This strong cultural base—which truly has something for everyone—attracts businesses looking for engaged workforces, provides outstanding educational opportunities and creates communities worth living in. Learn more at www.nh.gov/nhculture/.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about the New Hampshire Film & Television Office, and the Department of Cultural Resources, or to set up an interview with Matthew Newton or Van McLeod, please contact Shelly Angers, 603-271-3136, shelly.angers@dcr.nh.gov. For more information about Southwest Airlines, please contact Leslie Isselhard at 410-691-2717, leslie.isselhard@wnco.com.