Elvis was attached to over 600 balloons and sent floating into the Vancouver sky yesterday afternoon in a stunt co-hosted by Vancouver International Airport, Air Canada and WestJet.

The event was the launch of a promotion that aims to keep locals who are travelling to Las Vegas from driving south of the border to Bellingham, Washington for cheaper flights.

The promotion will treat passengers leaving for Vegas from YVR before Dec. 19 to special treats, like free checked luggage, cheap airport parking, and special offers and entertainment at the departure gates.

The airport worked with Vancouver-based Smak to pull off the stunt, which took place outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

With the slogan, ‘The party starts sooner when you leave from YVR,’ the goal of the promotion is to remind people that leaving from the Vancouver airport is more convenient than driving south and crossing the border into Washington, Rebecca Catley, director of communications, Vancouver Airport Authority, tells MiC.

‘It’s no secret we can’t always compete on price, but if you’ve only got three or four days that you’re going to spend with your significant other or with a bunch of girlfriends or guyfriends for a stagette or stag, you want to squeeze every single minute you can out of it.’

The airport is also hosting a contest for two pairs of round-trip tickets to Las Vegas.

The promotion isn’t being supported by paid media, but a social media effort is in place.