A Note From Ernie - February 2018

Dear Friends,

Awards Season has arrived in Los Angeles, once again setting off a palpable buzz across the city. Glitz and glamour are set to be put on full display as the world’s brightest talents celebrate the best of film at the heart of the entertainment world. Millions of people will tune in with great anticipation to see if their favorite stars will take home the year’s top honors.

The Poppy Awards, which Visit California hosts to recognize the industry’s best in tourism marketing every year, also took place just last week. I’m proud to share that Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board garnered top honor for ‘Best Overall Campaign’ in recognition of our ‘Everyone is Welcome’ initiative, encompassing paid, owned, earned and trade efforts. We were alongside two fantastic finalists: Disneyland Resorts and Napa Valley CVB.

Our ‘Everyone is Welcome’ initiative was the right message at the right time; it was a message of humanity and encouraged people around the globe to see the diversity of L.A.’s faces and places. We’ve made the strategic decision to extend this message, making it our rallying cry for 2018. New content just went live last week and you can read more about this in our News and Notes section.

A special thank you to all our hospitality partners for rolling out our signature red carpet this past weekend for 2018 NBA All-Star. Visitors enjoyed various experiences at the Los Angeles Convention Center, L.A. LIVE campus and STAPLES Center. The event was an economic boon for the city, projected to generate $116 million in economic impact.

These are just a few of the many updates on L.A. Tourism and our industry that we’re sharing with you in February’s newsletter. As always, we will continue to work diligently on behalf of all of our members to keep the world coming to Los Angeles.

Regards,

Ernest Wooden Jr. 
President & CEO
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board