Words from Wooden - January 2016
Dear Member,
If 2015’s tourism results are any indication, 2016 promises to be a spectacular year for L.A.’s hospitality industry.
Just last week, I joined Mayor Garcetti along with other elected city and airport officials to announce a fifth consecutive year of record-breaking visitation: An astounding 45.5 million travelers chose Los Angeles as their ultimate destination. This is an increase of 1.3 million visitors over the previous year.
This achievement was propelled by the opening of new attractions, growth in the international marketplace (particularly China), L.A.’s rapid rise as a culinary mecca and cultural capital, and LAX’s current multi-billion dollar modernization and improvement program.
Tourism is among the largest and healthiest segments of the L.A. economy, supporting more than 464,000 jobs in the Leisure & Hospitality sector. In the calendar year 2015, we estimate our hotel visitors generated at least $223 million in transient-occupancy tax collections for the City of Los Angeles.
With a record year behind us, we are charging ahead beginning with our bi-annual dineL.A. Restaurant Week, taking place now through Jan. 31, 2016. New this year, we are proud to partner with a fantastic local charity, The Midnight Mission, a local non-profit which provides food, shelter, and aid to those in need. Each seated reservation booked through our website will donate $1 to this important organization.
The New Year is off to the races and we are well positioned for reaching our North Star goal of welcoming 50 million visitors by 2020.
Best wishes,
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Ernest Wooden Jr.
President & CEO
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
