August 2018 News & Notes

L.A. Tourism is pleased to announce "L.A. Visionaries: The Decade Ahead," a moderated panel discussion taking place at Market Outlook Forum 2018 on Wednesday, August 29.

You'll hear from L.A. experts in the areas of culinary, transit, arts & culture, and sports with a look ahead to the next decade in Los Angeles. Our distinguished panelists include:

• Susan Feniger, chef/co-founder of Border Grill – A tireless champion for L.A.'s culinary community, Susan was named a recipient of the 2018 Julia Child Award along with with her longtime business partner and collaborator Mary Sue Milliken. This marks the first time that a female chef has ever received this prestigious honor. Susan has also been recognized by the California Restaurant Association with its Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award. With Zagat naming L.A. the “Most Exciting Food City of 2017,” the rest of the country is quickly learning that Los Angeles has truly become one of the world’s premier culinary destinations. While dineL.A. celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, an estimated 122 million Americans plan to take a culinary-focused vacation in 2018, making it a powerful driver for tourism. What’s in store for the future of L.A.’s exciting culinary scene?
   

• Seleta J. Reynolds, General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) – Regarded as a visionary in her respective field, Seleta is on the leading edge of how tech can transform an urban landscape. She is responsible for implementing “Great Streets for Los Angeles,” a plan to dramatically expand access to integrated transportation choices for Angelenos and visitors alike. As Los Angeles continues to break tourism records, a slew of new sports and cultural venues opening their doors, and a full slate of mega events set for the next decade, ‘sustainable tourism’ will be an imperative focus. Mobility is a foundational aspect of that effort, so we ask: how will technology transform L.A. into the “Smart City” of the future?

• Kathryn S. Schloessman, President of Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC) – As President of LASEC, Kathy bids to host and retain major sporting and entertainment events in Los Angeles. The competition for attracting high-profile events has never been tougher, so Kathy and her team must continuously innovate to ensure Los Angeles offers an unparalleled experience for event organizers and their attendees. In the next decade, Los Angeles will host the MLB All-Star Game, Super Bowl, College Football Playoff National Championship, World Olympics, and is also an official Candidate Host City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In additional to an array of sports teams and iconic venues, we’re excited to hear about L.A.’s meteoric rise to becoming the ultimate sports capital of the world.

• Kristin Sakoda, Executive Director of Los Angeles County Arts Commission – A new member of the Los Angeles family, Kristin is a passionate advocate for arts and culture in all forms. A lifelong creative professional and arts practitioner, she previously served as Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and has graced stages across the U.S. and internationally including the national tour of “Rent” and “Mamma Mia!” with the original Broadway cast. Powered by its diverse artistic community, L.A. is a global creative capital where innovation thrives. We’ll hear about what makes Los Angeles a mecca for the world’s greatest imaginators, artists and storytellers both present and future.

The panel will be moderated by Los Angeles Magazine's Arts and Culture Editor Marielle Wakim. Marielle has earned a Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and a BA in English Lit from Miami University (the one in Ohio). Her published works have appeared in the New York Times, NPR, Huffington Post, Relevant, DAME, and elsewhere.

Don't forget to register for Market Outlook Forum, an exclusive members-only event where you will:

• Learn about the latest travel and tourism trends from industry experts
• Get the latest L.A. visitation forecasts and industry perspectives
• Take a first look at L.A. Tourism's global sales and marketing plans for the year ahead
• Network with key L.A. Tourism departments and learn how to participate in Discover L.A. programs and events
• Walk away with a digital version of L.A. Tourism's Marketing and Planning Resource Guide, L.A.’s definitive tourism data resource, providing the most up-to-date and reliable industry information; a must-have in order to effectively compete and succeed in today’s marketplace. The guide is filled with L.A. market analysis, visitor profiles, spending habits and travel activity preferences by international markets

The complimentary event will take place at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. After the program, stay and network with the L.A. Tourism team and industry colleagues during the Member Mixer.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) reported passenger traffic is up 5.1% for the first half of 2018 as 42.7 million passengers went through LAX for the first six months, up from 40.6 million for the same period last year. International traffic rose 6.5% to 12.6 million while domestic traffic increased 4.5% to 30 million.

L.A. County’s Leisure & Hospitality sector added 1,600 jobs between May and June 2018, the third largest month-over-month increase across all 11 super sectors. In addition, the L&H sector reported the second largest year-over-year increase with 22,100 new jobs, over half of which were in accommodations and food services. The sector averaged 535,150 jobs for fiscal year 2018, a 4.6% year-over-year increase.

One of the LACC's biggest events of the year, ESA's annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) reported 69,200 resistered attendees with over 200 exhibitors. This citywide generated an audited 26,950 room nights for Los Angeles, resulting in $1.2 million in $1.2 million in transient occpunacy tax for the city's general fund. Total economic impact was an estimated $87.9 million, a 17.2% increase compared to last year.