INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TRADE FAMS, TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
Professional Travel Agents of North America Pre-FAM
L.A. Tourism hosted 120 members of the Professional Travel Agents of North America December 3-5, 2015 for a Pre-FAM tour of the LA Waterfront in San Pedro before the group attended their annual conference onboard a Princess Cruises trip to the Mexican Riviera. The sightseeing tour showcased San Pedro as a premier destination for pre and post cruises with highlights including the USS Iowa, CRAFTED, and a Harbor Breeze cruise around the Port of Los Angeles. Accommodations were provided by the Doubletree San Pedro and the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor.
IBTM World
L.A. Tourism exhibited at IBTM World in Barcelona, Spain where representatives spent three days conducting business and networking with international buyers and suppliers. For the first time at the show, L.A. Tourism exhibited at their own booth, sharing with four partners including InterContinental Hotel Los Angeles, J.W. Marriot LA Live, The Line and SLS Beverly Hills. More than 60 scheduled appointments took place at the show with international hosted buyers from China, Brazil, Sweden, France and the United Kingdom. Other leads from Turkey, Poland, India, China, Czech Republic and the UK were also generated.
American Airlines Launch in Sydney
L.A. Tourism’s Australia office attended the American Airlines event in support of the airline’s launch of new service from Sydney to LAX December 19, 2015. This non-stop service is in partnership with Qantas Airways and operates daily aboard a brand new, state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with four cabin classes. In partnership with Visit California, L.A. Tourism welcomed passengers aboard the inaugural flight at Sydney’s airport with L.A. themed gifts.
L.A. Tourism – Japan
L.A. Tourism’s Asia Pacific office attended the USA seminar hosted by United Airlines and All Nippon Airways in Niigata to promote their services from Niigata to international destinations including Los Angeles. Representatives provided updated information on L.A. including travel trends, LAX news including the Tom Bradley International Terminal and new attractions such as The Broad. More than 30 travel agents from the region attended the seminar.
L.A. Tourism – France
L.A. Tourism’s France representatives conducted the third series of trainings for 2015-2016 at Air Tahiti Nui December 1, 2015 at ATN’s headquarters in Paris. There were 14 travel agents who participated in the training and updates about Los Angeles was shared.
L.A. Tourism’s France office organized and executed an event with XL Airways December 15, 2015 to celebrate the launch of XL’s new route from Paris to Los Angeles. The event was held at California Avenue, a bar in central Paris which is decorated in Californian style with a beach theme and was attended by hundreds of travel agents, product managers and airline representatives.
SALES
L.A. Tourism’s Sales representatives, joined by members of Paramount Studios, conducted a two-day sales mission in Chicago December 9-10, 2015. The team met with more than 125 prospective group meeting and convention clients which showcased L.A.’s endless entertainment options including a screening of Paramount’s film “Daddy’s Home” starring Will Ferrell and Marc Wahlberg; a group breakfast and destination presentation at the Langham Hotel; and a basketball game featuring the L.A. Clippers taking on the Chicago Bulls.
L.A. Tourism’s Sales representatives attended CalSAE’s Seasonal Spectacular in Sacramento December 3, 2015. Seasonal Spectacular is the West Coast’s largest gathering of association professionals with more than 1,000 professionals and industry suppliers connecting face-to-face. The event provided a full day of networking opportunities, including education programs, and meetings, allowing L.A. Tourism to meet with potential association customers headquartered in Sacramento and the Bay Area. L.A. Tourism was joined by hotel members Four Points by Sheraton LAX, Luxe City Center Hotel, Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, The Garland and Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City.
L.A. Tourism’s Sales representatives, joined by hospitality partners at AEG, Pacific Palms Resort, InterContinental Los Angeles and JW Marriot LA Live, exhibited at the Association Forum of Chicagoland’s “Holiday Showcase” at the Hyatt Regency Chicago December 15, 2015, which boasted hotel and convention clients from the Midwest. Holiday Showcase® is widely considered the industry's best and most highly attended one-day exhibition for Chicago's mutli-billion dollar meetings and events market. With more than 1,400 qualified buyers in attendance, Holiday Showcase is the must-attend conference and exposition for key decision-makers across all areas of association and meetings management.
COMMUNICATIONS
L.A. Tourism Public Relations hosted Yewei Chen, chief editor, and Jie Cao, features director, of The Good Life China December 6-12, 2015. The writers experienced dining throughout L.A.’s unique neighborhoods including Koreatown, Silver Lake and Downtown. Accommodations were provided by The Line Hotel and JW Marriot Los Angeles LA Live.
Anna Hart, editor-in-chief of Stylist Magazine (U.K.), visited Los Angeles throughout the month of December. L.A. Tourism met with Anna for lunch at Grand Central Market on Dec. 21, 2015 to discuss car-free L.A. story ideas for Stylist and L.A.’s hippest neighborhoods for Conde Nast Traveller.