Global Tourism Updates - July 2023

South Korea VCA Mission

Club California in South Korea

Visit California Korea facilitated the first-ever California-dedicated offline seminar with a focus on the CA STAR program and seven participating California destinations; Anaheim, Buena Park, Los Angeles, Greater Palm Springs, San Diego, San Francisco, and Universal Studios Hollywood. 73 travel agents, receptive operators, airlines, and OTAs attended the event, on June 1, in Busan, South Korea. During the Club California event, travel trade partners were invited to be inspired by presentations from each participating destination, showcasing what the destinations offer to the Korean audience, what’s new, and what’s in the plan for the near future.

 

Club California Beijing and Shanghai 

The Los Angeles Tourism China Team recently joined Visit California’s signature China B2B event, Club California, in Beijing (June 19-20) and Shanghai (June 27-28). During the four-day event, our team held in-depth discussions and exchanges with over 30 key travel trade representatives and SoCal partners, including Disneyland and Citadel Outlets. The discussions covered product development, market trends and insights. There is strong desire and demand for long-haul travel, especially for students and those traveling on business. The LA Tourism team in China will be collaborating with Chinese trade partners to focus on these sectors as we concentrate on recovery and broaden our reach while airlift steadily resumes. The events were very well-received by the local travel trade, who felt empowered by the unified efforts of California partners. 

 

Virtuoso on Tour: Destination Showcase in Sydney, Australia

Los Angeles Tourism’s Sydney Office recently participated in a first-of-its-kind event for Virtuoso in Australia. Using an exhibition booth-style format, across six destination-themed pavilions at Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC), Virtuoso advisors met with 36 preferred destination partners from around the world. More than 300 luxury travel advisors from across Australia and New Zealand attended the two-day event, where they enjoyed product experiences, networking opportunities and professional development.