Around the world, in town, and on the web, LA Tourism and Convention Board is working to help grow and support the Los Angeles tourism community and keep the world coming to LA.
TRADESHOWS, SALES MISSIONS & TRAVEL TRADE FAMS
Travel Trade FAMS, March & April 2013. Los Angeles. The LA Tourism International Marketing Team hosted 11 FAMS between March 1 and May 6 from Costa Rica, Mexico (2), Australia, Germany (2), Kuwait, multiple nations (Visit California with international staff), United Kingdom (2) and China.
Guangzhou International Travel Fair, March 7 – 9. Guangzhou, China. As part of LA’s strong bonds with China and LA Tourism’s aggressive pursuit of Chinese business and leisure travel business, our sales team took part in GITF, the first international travel fair in China. GITF has become one of the most significant annual international travel fairs in southern China and the Asia-Pacific Region. LA Tourism partnered with select tour operators to promote LA packages
for Southern China tourists.
Routes Asia, March 17 – 19. Mumbai, India. As part of the ongoing effort to increase air support to Los Angeles, LA Tourism attended the 11th Routes Asia. LA Tourism representatives worked to showcase LAX improvements and the new Tom Bradley International Terminal and had one-on-one meetings with airlines. More than 500 key players in the airline and airport industry from Asia and Europe attended.
China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market, April 9 – 11. Beijing. LA Tourism had a strong presence at COTTM, which saw 275 exhibitors from 60 different countries showcasing their destinations and travel services to 4,137 leading outbound tour operators from all over China. Now in its ninth year, COTTM is the only business-to-business convention focusing exclusively on the outbound Chinese travel market.
Incentive Travel & Conventions Meetings, April 17 – 19. Shanghai. LA Tourism representatives attended IT&CM. It brings together Chinese and International Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) exhibitors and buyers in one dynamic marketplace. International and Chinese players in the MICE industry explore inbound, outbound and domestic business opportunities.
WTM Latin America, April 23-25. Sao Paolo, Brazil. LA Tourism’s sales team attended the World Travel Market Latin America, held this year for the first time on the continent. This travel industry trade show is the largest focusing on Latin American destinations, with more than 1,200 exhibitors from all over the world.
Hanatour International Travel Show, May 24-26. Korea. LA Tourism attended Korea’s largest travel show organized by HanaTour, working to promote LA to 50,000 attendees.
Visit California Mexico Sales Mission, May 7-9. Mexico. LA Tourism sales team members took part in a sales mission to Mexico with Visit California, and met with Mexico’s leading trade professionals to promote travel to LA. The program included Travel Agents, Tour Operators, marketplace presentations, training, and individual B2B appointments.
COMMUNICATIONS/MEDIA
Launch of Car Free LA Itineraries – In conjunction with Earth Day, April 22, LA Tourism launched Car Free LA, a new program of seven free itineraries that allow visitors to explore all of LA’s unique neighborhoods and attractions – each including a large number of LATCB members - on bike, foot and public transit. Car Free LA was announced during the Mayor’s press conference and kickoff of CicLAvia, the country’s largest open-street event. Car Free LA received broad, positive media coverage and social media response to the new initiative. LA Tourism led a bike and walking media tour through Little Tokyo with select travel and tourism journalists and bloggers on a segment of one of the itineraries “Discover Multicultural Downtown Car Free.”
The itineraries include themed trips through Hollywood, beach cities, Downtown cultural attractions, Downtown ethnic neighborhoods, a music themed tour, and a section devoted to LA’s wonderful hikes. LA Tourism will continue to develop new Car Free LA itineraries exploring even more of LA’s great experiences.
Car Free LA on NBC’s Today in LA Show – VP of Communications Susan Lomax made an appearance on NBC’s morning show Today in LA on April 24 to talk about the Car Free LA program and how it opens up a whole series of new experiences for visitors to LA.
Esquire TV - Arranged filming locations highlighting the LA destination for “The Getaway,” an upcoming travel show produced by Anthony Bourdain to air on Esquire TV.
NY Media Trip – VP of Communications Susan Lomax traveled to New York as part of the Visit California event, and conducted interviews about the many unique attractions of Los Angeles with journalists from New York Times, Travel & Leisure, New York Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today, BBC Travel and other publications.
Media FAMS – The LA Tourism Communications team has been working hard to keep the LA destination and LATCB members in the news, organizing FAM trips for domestic, international and affinity media. FAMS since March 1 include five groups of journalists from Japan, 10 from the UK and Europe, eight from the United States, nine from Latin America, five from Australia, four from Canada, and two from South Africa.