Los Angeles Tourism Reports $34.5B Year-End Tourism Figures, Impacting More than 528,200 Tourism-Related Careers

Thursday, May 25, 2023 0

Los Angeles Tourism, the official non-profit destination marketing and sales organization for Los Angeles, today kicked off “The Road to IPW 2024” with a press conference at IPW 2023 in San Antonio, Texas that welcomed over 400 media. The press conference reported the organization’s year-end figures including $34.5 billion in total business sales in 2022, reaching 91 percent of 2019’s record-setting levels. More than 528,200 tourism-related careers were generated last year along with $3 billion in state and local taxes supporting essential services for all Angelenos. The announcement comes as Los Angeles continues to spotlight the new experiences and product that make up “LA 2.0” and prepares to welcome U.S. Travel Association’s international inbound travel show, IPW, May 3-7, 2024.

“With so many exciting new reasons to visit our City of Angels, we’re thrilled to roll out the red carpet for IPW in 2024 and showcase why LA is the ideal place to stay, play, and do business,” said Los Angeles Tourism President and CEO, Adam Burke. “As one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive communities – and one of the primary gateways to the United States – we pride ourselves on being a destination where everyone is welcome. And starting with the $15 billion modernization of Los Angeles International Airport, we’ve seen incredible investment in the market, offering IPW attendees the opportunity to experience our destination like never before.”

The City reported a robust recovery reaching 91% of 2019 visitation levels with 46.2 million visitors to Los Angeles. Tourism is a leading driver of the local economy, enhancing the quality of life of all Angelenos while creating attractions and amenities that residents and visitors experience year-round.

International visitation continues to be a key focus of Los Angeles Tourism. For over two decades, Los Angeles has been the only U.S. destination to maintain full-time offices and team members overseas, with seven offices that remained open and operational throughout the pandemic. The strategy provides Los Angeles Tourism the ability to remain agile to diversify its reach and creates a first-mover advantage to increase market share. In 2022, international visitation increased by nearly 2 million visitors, representing an 81.7 percent year-over-year increase from 2021. In 2023, Los Angeles’ top five international source markets are expected to be Mexico (1,790,000), Canada (740,000), China (460,000), Australia/NZ (390,000), and UK/Ireland (330,000).

“Los Angeles is proud of its cultural diversity and international influences, and Los Angeles Tourism’s operations and strategies reflect this,” shared LA Tourism SVP, Global Tourism Development, Kathryn Smits. “With offices in several corners of the world, our international teams provide valuable in-market insights and direct touchpoints with key markets across the globe. We are thrilled to host industry partners, buyers, and media from these markets and beyond in the City of Angels next year for IPW 2024.”

Across the city, new places to stay, award-winning dining experiences, vibrant attractions, advanced infrastructure, and more make up “LA 2.0” ready to welcome both first-time visitors and returning friends to Los Angeles with countless exciting new offerings. There are more reasons than ever to visit the City of Angels since the last time Los Angeles hosted IPW in 2012, including a $15 billion modernization of Los Angeles International Airport, 6,700 hotel rooms added in the past three years, and the largest number of museums and performing arts venues in the U.S. A few key experiences spotlighted during the press conference include SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood, 26 MICHELIN Starred Angeleno restaurants, the 15^th anniversary of Dine LA Restaurant Week, new places to stay across the city, and the Automated People Mover at LAX. With 11 professional sports teams, the most of any U.S. destination, Los Angeles is also looking forward to hosting a spectacular lineup of major sporting events including the U.S. Open Championship in June 2023, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To showcase Los Angeles’ incomparable breadth of attractions, entertainment, and accommodations, Los Angeles Tourism shared its star-studded global advertising campaign, “Now Playing,” at the press conference. The campaign’s ads, launched in September 2022 and February 2023, feature iconic locations in the city, top talent, live-action film, and animation. Since its debut, the campaign has appeared in traditional and digital marketing channels in five markets, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. As of April 2023, the ads have generated 1.6 billion impressions and more than 430 million completed video views, generating a return on investment of more than $1.2 billion in direct tourism spending.

“As we continue to welcome back international travelers, Los Angeles presents a host of all-new attractions, properties, and experiences making up what we’re calling ‘LA 2.0,’” said LA Tourism SVP, Global Communications, Chris Heywood. “Whether it’s your first time to the City of Angels or you’re a frequent visitor, there are countless new sights to explore and fresh favorites to discover. With iconic landmarks and hidden gems throughout the City’s many diverse neighborhoods, ‘LA 2.0’ offers a unique experience with every visit.”

The press conference event also acknowledged a year of centennials in Los Angeles in 2023 including the 100^th anniversaries of the Hollywood Sign, Warner Bros. Studios, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the Biltmore Hotel with an impressive digital replica of the iconic Hollywood Sign featuring visually stunning projection lighting technology and a celebratory confetti send-off.

The City of Angels will welcome travel exhibitors, buyers, and media from around the globe to Los Angeles for IPW 2024 next May. With an array of new experiences, incredible meeting spaces, and an exciting lineup of programming, Los Angeles is thrilled to roll out the red carpet for the world’s leading travel trade show. 2024 will be the sixth time LA serves as an IPW host city, welcoming attendees to experience the exciting updates shared at the press conference for themselves.