L.A. Tourism at Work - November 2016

L.A. Tourism European Tourism Mission
Led by L.A. Tourism President & CEO Ernest Wooden Jr., a delegation of tourism officials, L.A. hotel and attraction partners traveled to Stockholm, Oslo and London Oct. 16-24, 2016 for a mission focused on driving visitation from the Europe market. Following a recent increase in direct air service from the Scandinavian region, L.A. Tourism hosted events in Stockholm and Oslo to obtain insightful information for accelerating regional marketing efforts as well as cultivated important relationships with airline partners, travel trade and media. In addition to promoting direct air service from both cities to LAX, officials met with key travel trade including SAS Airlines and Norwegian Air. 
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In London, L.A. Tourism hosted tour operators, 15 senior MICE planners from top UK agencies, media and social influencers at the Los Angeles Rams game vs. the New York Giants at Twickenham Stadium to showcase the destination. Officials also held an exclusive dinner for key airline partners, hosting senior representatives from airlines that serve LAX from the U.K. including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Delta, Thomas Cook United Airlines and Norwegian Air. 

Qantas Australia FAM
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L.A. Tourism’s Australia office, in partnership with Qantas and American Airlines, hosted 10 retail travel agents for a four-day educational FAM trip Oct. 14-17, 2016. The trip highlighted the Qantas and American Airlines partnership on the Sydney-LAX route. L.A. Tourism’s Australia Travel Trade Manager Carolyn Nightingale joined the destination showcase of essential L.A. experiences including The Broad, lunch at Grand Central Market, OUE Skyspace LA, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Bikes and Hikes, shopping on Venice’s Abbot Kinney Blvd, and more. Accommodations were provided by the Millennium Biltmore hotel.

X Factor at Qantas & American Airlines
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L.A. Tourism’s Australia office was a headline sponsor at the annual Qantas & American Airlines ‘Best of North America’ training day event held at the Qantas Jet base in Sydney on October 26, 2016. L.A. Tourism representatives conducted a destination training seminar to promote LAX Airport and L.A.’s diverse neighborhoods with assistance from Australian celebrity (and L.A. resident) Jason Dundas, current host of the top rated Australian TV show, “The X Factor.” Dundas provided a personal perspective of living in L.A. with his insider picks on where to stay, eat and play. The VIP seminar attracted 165 travel agents from across Australia & New Zealand, who were specially flown to Sydney for an intensive day of product training to promote the Qantas and American Airlines partnership.

Virgin Holidays U.K. FAM
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L.A. Tourism, in partnership with Virgin Holidays, hosted 10 sales agents from the U.K.’s Virgin Holidays retail stores Oct. 18-22, 2016. Their educational itinerary showcased only-in-L.A. experiences including Universal Studios Hollywood, Peterson Museum, The Original Farmer’s Market, Grand Central Market and OUE Skyspace LA.  Accommodations were provided by The Garland and The London West Hollywood.

China-Ready Trade Show
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L.A. Tourism hosted its 2nd annual China-Ready Trade Show event at The Globe Theatre at Universal Studios Hollywood℠. A total of 40 China-Ready members exhibited at the event with 85 local Chinese receptive tour operators in attendance. Thirteen media outlets conducted interviews and filmed portions of the event. A benefit of L.A. Tourism’s China-Ready program, the trade show provided an opportunity for China-Ready members to showcase their products, following a China market presentation by L.A. Tourism and networking session. A full list of China-Ready members can be accessed on helloLA.cn/ChinaReady.

Singapore Airlines Korea FAM
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L.A. Tourism, in partnership with Visit CA Korea and Singapore Airlines, hosted a VIP FAM group of senior travel agent executives to help launch Singapore Airlines Korea’s new air service from Seoul to LAX Oct 26-28, 2016. The California Advisory Board was also held where L.A. Tourism President & CEO Ernest Wooden Jr. and Visit California President & CEO Caroline Beteta shared remarks. The educational itinerary showcased only-in-L.A. experiences including the Petersen Automotive Museum, GRAMMY Museum, WP24, Universal Studios Hollywood and OUE Skyspace LA. Accommodations were provided by Intercontinental Century City. 

Modetour Travel Mart Korea
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LATCB Korea participated in Modetour Travel Mart 2016, which was held on October 13-16 in Seoul. LATCB Korea shared a booth with Visit California and San Francisco and provided various collateral pieces from LATCB’s new pocket guide in Korean, maps, and Los Angeles official visitor guides to the general public. More than 75,000 guests visited the travel show during the four days. October 13 was also dedicated to B2B meetings with the Korean travel trade.

Club California Tokyo Japan
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L.A. Tourism’s Japan representative participated as a founding partner in Club California Tokyo at Tokyo’s new venue Akasaka Classic House on October 18, 2016. The theme, ‘Dream Kids,’ encouraged more family travel to California.  L.A. Tourism trained more than 130 travel trade in the one-day event and also introduced a new L.A. pocket guide in Japanese.

Visit California Canada Sales Mission
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L.A. Tourism participated in a Visit California Canada sales mission held in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver Oct. 24-28, 2016. The three-city mission featured a series of trade events, sales calls and B2B appointment sessions with leading wholesalers and tour operators from the Greater Toronto market. L.A. Tourism shared product updates to more than 300 travel agents, highlighting Car-Free L.A., hotel updates, direct air service and LAX improvements.

American Airlines Hong Kong FAM
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To celebrate the launch of American Airlines' direct air service from Hong Kong to LAX, L.A. Tourism hosted a travel trade FAM of eight major South China agencies Oct. 11 -15, 2016. The educational itinerary showcased China-Ready members including Westfield Century City, Grand Central Market, OUE Skyspace LA, Citadel Outlets, Original Farmer’s Market, Petersen Automotive Museum, Getty Center, Dolby Theatre and Universal Studio Hollywood. Accommodations were provide by China-Ready hotels InterContinental Century City and Hilton Los Angeles Universal City.

Brand USA China Mega FAM
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L.A. Tourism, in partnership with Brand USA and United Airlines, hosted a China Mega FAM consisting of travel trade Oct. 19-22, 2016. The educational itinerary showcased only-in-L.A. experiences including Petersen Automotive Museum, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dolby Theatre, Universal Studio Hollywood, iFly on Universal City Walk, OUE Skyspace LA, L.A. Live and Team L.A., and Citadel Outlets. Accommodations were provided by China-Ready hotel partner The Langham Huntington, Pasadena.

ITB Asia 2016
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L.A. Tourism, as part of the Brand USA delegation, exhibited at the annual ITB Asia, a leisure and MICE travel trade show, at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore Oct. 19-21, 2016. Representatives Craig Gibbons and James Zheng conduced more than 120 B2B meetings at the three-day event with key leisure and MICE buyers, providing product updates on hotel developments and LAX’s modernization program.  One of the largest trade shows in the Asia Pacific region, ITB Asia attracted 110,000 trade visitors from 188 countries with a majority of buyers attending from L.A.’s top overseas markets, China and Australia, as well as emerging markets of India and the UAE.

Guangzhou International Shopping Festival
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L.A. Tourism’s Guangzhou Office participated in the Guangzhou International Shopping Festival (GISF) U.S. Pavilion Sep. 29 - Oct. 16, 2016. Representatives showcased L.A. at the shopping mall and distributed L.A. Official Guide books and maps to the shopping mall clients, updating them on LA.’s newest products and unique travel experiences. Attached to the Expo, L.A. Tourism hosted two travel salons and invited key opinion leader (KOL) “Bao Zou” sister to share their L.A. travel experience with 30 fans. In partnership with GZL Travel, L.A. Tourism shared LAX upgrades and new tourism resources in L.A. to another 30 visitors at a second salon. During the Festival, the Guangzhou office also attended the Upgrading the City Forum organized by Grandview Shopping Mall, to share the L.A. experience.

American Airlines South China FAM
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In partnership with American Airlines, L.A. Tourism’s Guangzhou office organized a FAM trip for top wholesalers and retail agents from South China Oct. 11-15, 2016.The educational itinerary showcased new L.A. experiences including Petersen Automotive Museum, OUE-Skyspace LA, ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ at Universal Studios Hollywood, Dolby Theatre, Getty Center, Grand Central Market and the Original Farmer’s Market. The group also met with visited with the L.A. Tourism China Service Team for a presentation. Accommodations were provided by China Ready hotel, The InterContinental Los Angeles Century City & Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City. 

Tuniu Roadshow in Chengdu
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L.A. Tourism’s China office collaborated with Tuniu Travel, one of the leading OTAs in China, on a LAX roadshow in Chengdu on October 22, 2016. The roadshow promoted LAX and L.A.'s attractions to Tuniu's potential clients with updates on new direct air service between Chengdu and Los Angeles via Hangzhou/Jinan by Sichuan Airlines - the first intercontinental route of Sichuan Airlines to the U.S.

IMEX America 2016
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L.A. Tourism’s Sales team exhibited at IMEX America in Las Vegas with several L.A. hotel and attractions partners Oct. 18-20, 2016. More than a 100 total one-on-one and group appointments were conducted over the three-day event. L.A. Tourism’s China Services Director Sheena Yu attended to attract MICE operators from China and organized two travel trade MICE FAMs. L.A. Tourism also unveiled its new virtual travel platform, Virtual Discovery L.A., at the trade show.

meetL.A. at the Los Angeles Coliseum
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L.A. Tourism’s Sales team hosted nine meeting planner clients for a VIP experience at the Los Angeles Coliseum for the Los Angeles Rams vs New York Bills game on Sunday, October 9, 2016. Clients that attended included BMW North America, Toms, BCBG Max Azria Group, and Trust Company of the West.

London MICE Sales Mission
L.A. Tourism’s London office organized three days of sales calls to various MICE agencies from within the London area. Representative Lisa Stewart showcased Los Angeles to more than 30 U.K. meeting planners highlighting what makes L.A. a premier meetings and events destination.  

Oysters Annual Event in London
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L.A. Tourism’s Europe office attended the annual Oysters networking event at IET London Savoy Place on October 5, 2016.  Representatives Lisa Stewart and Mary Spellerberg conducted networking sessions with members of the event and conference industry from across 15 major international countries. There are 26 Oyster members representing regional CVBs and international destinations – Los Angeles became a member in 2016.

UK MICE briefing London
LATCB UK & Ireland MICE representative Lisa Stewarts shared her current sales and programming efforts in a session about securing MICE business form the UK on Oct. 21, 2016. C&IT magazine editor-in-chief Yasmin Arigo also presented a state of the industry as seen through a media perspective

L.A. Tourism Public Relations hosted an exclusive media breakfast at IMEX America in Las Vegas on Oct. 18, 2016 to unveil Virtual Discovery L.A., a new virtual reality travel platform that provides meeting professionals with immersive 360-degree viewing experiences of more than 50 only-in-L.A. venues and locations across Los Angeles – the most comprehensive virtual tour of any destination in the world. Media attending the breakfast including Skift.com, Meetings & Conventions, Prevue, Meetings Today and more.

Discover Los Angeles hosted Eric Harnish of Inside Santa Clarita Valley Magazine Oct. 7-9, 2016 for a story focused on a Valentine's Day aetaway in Downtown Los Angeles. The story will feature experiencing the city’s arts and dining scenes car-free. Eric enjoyed accommodations at The Millennium Biltmore hotel and explored using Discover L.A.’s carfreeL.A. self-guided itineraries. The story is scheduled to be published in February 2017.

Discover Los Angeles hosted freelance journalist Rachel Signer Oct. 20-24, 2016 as she explored L.A.’s culinary scene for Vogue.com and Munchies.com. Rachel enjoyed accommodations at The Line Hotel and The Standard Downtown Los Angeles and dined at L.A.’s new and notable restaurants such as Gwen, Sqirl, Baroo, Commissary, RiceBar, Kali, miro and The Cannibal LA. Rachel also explored a slice of L.A.’s art scene at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, The Broad and Architecture and Design Museum. Her coverage is expected to appear over the next few months.