December 2018 News & Notes

dineL.A. announced the return of 2019 Winter dineL.A., taking place January 11 – 25, 2019. The 15-day dining event will celebrate the city’s diverse culinary scene through a new collaboration with the award-winning team at Life & Thyme, to spotlight restaurants from the dineL.A. Exclusive Series, each of whom will be offering elaborate tasting menus during the program. dineL.A. is also partnering with American Airlines to debut, a new Instagram sweepstakes, Hunt for 50K. Two diners will have a chance to win 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles and a $100 restaurant gift card*

Visitors and locals can enjoy specially-priced lunch and dinner menus at over 400 participating dineL.A. restaurants. The value-driven lunch menus range from $15, $20, $25, to $35, with dinner menus priced at $29, $39, $49, and $59, and beginning at $99 for the dineL.A. Exclusive Series. Back by popular demand, the dineL.A. Exclusive Series, sponsored by American Express, offers diners a chance to enjoy some of L.A.’s most luxurious restaurants including Providence, Mélisse, Scratch|Bar & Kitchen, Spago Beverly Hills, and The Royce Wood-Fired Steakhouse.

For more info: https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela-los-angeles-restaurant-week/

Join fellow tourism industry leaders for two days of immersive sessions, world-class speakers and unforgettable events at the breathtaking Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes from February 11-12, 2019.

Visit California Outlook Forum is the Golden State travel industry's premier annual conference, bringing together experts from around the world to share insights and strategies on tourism's biggest topics. Survey the global tourism landscape before taking a deep dive into the most important conversations being had in 2019, and explore what's on the horizon for Visit California and its industry partners.

With more than 600 attendees from across the state each year, the event provides unparalleled networking opportunities and a truly VIP experience throughout the conference.

Visit California is extending its early-bird rate for L.A. Tourism members – a savings of $350 – through Friday, December 28. Register with discount code: DiscoverLA

For more info: https://industry.visitcalifornia.com/Events/Current/Outlook-Forum-2019

In case you missed L.A. Tourism's exclusive member webinar on making an impactful listing on the new DiscoverLosAngeles.com, launching in early 2019, you can view it here:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/8054641050137334529

The webinar highlighted:

• a sneak-peak of the brand new Discover Los Angeles site
• how to make the most out of your listing on the site 
• a preview of listing pages and advertising opportunities
• how to update your listing through the Member Portal

Be sure to update your member listings before the new DiscoverLosAngeles.com website launches in early 2019.

We've put together instructions to help you, please click here to learn how!

LAX Airport and Southwest Airlines celebrated the completion of a $516 million overhaul of Terminal 1. The transformation of Terminal 1 now provides people with a world-class travel experience. In addition to reimagined dining and retail destinations featuring local brands including Urth Caffé, Trejo’s Tacos and Cassell’s Hamburgers, among others, the terminal also offers new self-service ticket kiosks and expanded security checkpoints.

Travelers generated $28.1 million in TOT contributions for the City's general fund, bringing the fiscal year cumulative total to $140.7 million. This total is $10.7 million more than the same time last year. 

LAX Airport will welcome a new nonstop international service beginning Dec. 31 as  Hainan Airlines, the fourth largest air carrier in China, will launch nonstop service between LAX and Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province in north-central China.

LAX Airport forecasts a record 5.8 million passengers during the 25-day holiday period, an increase of 1.2% from last year. The busiest travel days will be the Wednesday, December 26, with more than 255,000 guests expected, and Friday, December 21, and Sunday, December 23, with 249,000 and 250,000 travelers anticipated.

AAA estimates a record 112.5 million Americans will travel during the holiday travel period (Dec. 22 to Jan. 1), a 4.4% increase over last year. The 2019 holiday weekend is estimated to be the highest predicted number of travelers since it began tracking travel over the holiday season in 2001.