A Note from Ernie - January 2018

Dear Friends,

Well, we did it again! For the seventh consecutive year, we set a new tourism milestone as a record 48.3 million people traveled to Los Angeles in 2017. This achievement should be celebrated by every member of our local hospitality community, as it is your everyday commitment and dedication to the L.A. visitor experience that makes L.A. such a desirable destination.

One notable data point from our visitation figures is that international visitation outperformed both its projected forecast and inbound travel to the U.S. as a whole in 2017. We know this feat was powered by our message of welcome, which resonated across the globe. A message of humanity, our ‘Everyone is Welcome’ campaign was the right message at the right time, showcasing the diversity of L.A.’s faces and places.

Looking ahead, L.A. Tourism will be extending and amplifying this message of welcome, making it our rallying cry in 2018. We will intertwine our message of humanity with a message of hospitality, extending an open invitation for travelers from every corner of the globe to enjoy our city’s diversity and inclusivity. You can read more about our 2017 tourism results in the News & Notes section of this month’s newsletter.

Happy 10-year anniversary to dineL.A., underway now through Jan. 26 with 378 participating restaurants, making it our largest event to date. We can’t help but feel a renewed sense of pride about our destination’s vibrant food scene, thanks to dineL.A.’s ability to knit together incredible excursions – from family-owned hidden gems to top-of-the-mark dinners.

All roads in 2018 look positive for travel and tourism and we are well positioned to reach our north star goal of 50 million visitors by 2020. Thank you for your valued partnership and best wishes for every success in the year ahead.

Regards,

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