INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TRADE FAMS, TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
From April 1-30, the LATCB International Team hosted four FAM trips to allow travel trade professionals to experience L.A.’s attractions and our members and partners in person, with groups from Australia (3 guests), Japan (11 guests), and the U.K. (10 guests).
RECEPTIVE OPERATOR EVENT AT LAX/NEW TBIT. LOS ANGELES, APRIL 3
LATCB partnered with Los Angeles World Airports to co-host a receptive operator event at the New Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with 85 Los Angeles-based Japanese, Chinese, European, and Latin American Inbound Tour Operators. The U.S. Customs & Border Patrol gave a presentation that touched on its Global Entry Program and best practices for handling large inbound groups, followed by tours of TBIT’s dining and shopping concessions as well as the new Star Alliance lounge, led by Westfield LLC, Duty-Free Services, and Airport Operations. The guided tours provide a strong opportunity to highlight the new TBIT as a world-class international terminal.
LATCB/UNITED AUSTRALIA RADIO PROMOTION
LATCB’s Australian Office partnered with United Airlines to launched a consumer radio promotion with top Sydney radio station 2 Day FM running April 28 to May 9 to promote United’s upgrade in April to a Boeing 777 on its route from Sydney to LAX. The digital advertising using our new “L.A. Story” theme encourages listeners to fly United to Los Angeles with great airfare deals available on a dedicated campaign landing page at www.united.com/LA. The promotion is complimented with a consumer competition allowing radio listeners to win the L.A. lifestyle of the radio hosts Mel B of the Spice Girls and America’s Got Talent and Australian actress Sophie Monk in partnership with the Hollywood Roosevelt. The celebrities will speak on air each morning during the top-rated breakfast show about their favorite things to see and do in L.A., showcasing many LATCB members across the destination.
MPI SOCAL EDCON & EXPO. SAN DIEGO, APRIL 4-5
The LATCB Sales Team participated in the Meetings Professionals International (MPI) San Diego (SDMPI), Southern California (MPISCC), and Orange County (MPIOC) event "MPI SoCal EdCon & Expo (SEE)" in Los Angeles, at the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel April 10-11. The event offered valuable opportunities to promote LATCB members and partners with meeting planners, suppliers, exhibitors and buyers. The tri-chapter Education Conference & Exposition was a full-day event featuring multiple breakout sessions, a lunch and Expo, and Rush Hour Networking, with a premiere networking reception the night before exclusively for Planners and Hosted Buyer Sponsors.
INTERNATIONAL POW WOW. CHICAGO, APRIL 5-9
LATCB participated in International Pow Wow (IPW), the world’s largest travel trade show, April 5-9 in Chicago. More than 6,000 delegates from 70 countries attended IPW – the largest registration of attendees in the event’s history. LATCB’s International Team had more than 200 scheduled one-on-one appointments with buyers from international and domestic markets, and attended networking sessions, and the media marketplace.
JAPAN DELTA MICE FAM. LOS ANGELES, APRIL 17-19
The International Team hosted a Japan MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) Market Educational FAM April 17-19 in partnership with Delta Airlines. The group, consisting of eight MICE group managers and one Delta Airlines sales representative, learned about Los Angeles and all that it has to offer as a leading destination for international convention business. The group had the opportunity meet with numerous LATCB members, including attractions, hotels, and event and destination management companies, and experienced dining, entertainment, and a Dodgers game, to learn new ways to showcase the destination to their clients.
SALES
meetL.A. EXCHANGE REVERSE TRADE SHOW
The LATCB Sales Team held the first-ever meetL.A. Exchange on April 15 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. This unique event, billed as a “reverse trade show,” brought together 74 of Directors of Sales, Directors of Revenue and General Managers of LATCB lead hotels to meet with the LATCB Sales Team from Los Angeles and across the country. They conducted a series of scheduled one-on-one meetings with individual LATCB Sales & Services Team members to discuss LATCB strategies to sell the destination as well as their respective properties, and to learn more about the individual properties and their specialties, unique features and niches. During the one day event, 277 meetings were conducted.
NATIONAL SALES MEETING
The LATCB Sales Team conducted its annual National Sales Meeting in Los Angeles April 14-16. All Citywide, Hotel Sales and Client Services Team members met in Los Angeles for training, brainstorming and strategizing on effective tactics to sell the destination, and site visits to better learn the unique characteristics of LATCB members and partner properties and venues.
COMMUNICATIONS
SAUDIA AIRLINES/MIDDLE EAST FAM, APRIL 3
The PR Team hosted a FAM in partnership with Saudia Airlines with journalists from nine different Middle Eastern and Gulf State newspapers and magazines on April 3 to explore Hollywood. The journalists represented Alsharq Al-Awsat (Arabic language newspaper, based in London, circulation: 234,561), Al Madina (Arabic language newspaper, based in Saudi Arabia, circulation: 60,000), Al Watan (Arabic language newspaper, based in Saudi Arabia, circulation: 150,000) Al Eqtisadiah (Arabic language newspaper, based in Saudi Arabia, circulation: 60,000), Sapq Electronic (Arabic language newspaper) Al-Sharq (Arabic language newspaper, based in Qatar, circulation: 15,000), Al Jazeera (multi-media, global), and Ahlan Wasahlan (English language in-flight magazine of Saudia Airlines, based in Saudi Arabia, circulation: 150,000).
FAMILY FAM, APRIL 8-14
The LATCB PR Team hosted a FAM trip with international journalists from Canada, Brazil and Mexico highlighting Los Angeles as a leading destination for international family vacations. The journalists were from family lifestyle magazines including Padres e Hijos (Mexico. Circulation: 100,000), Parents (Canada. Circulation: 123,396), O Globo (Brazil. Circulation: 350,000) and Crescer (Brazil. Circulation: 62,014). The group experienced a baseball game at Dodger Stadium, the Warner Bros. Studios VIP Tour, Universal Studios Hollywood including a tour of the newly opened Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction, Universal CityWalk, Disneyland, the reimagined Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney District.
The group went cycling on the South Coast Bicycle Trail along the beach, experienced Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park Amusement Park, Annenberg Community Beach House, and Tongva Park in partnership with Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau. They went on a Melting Pot Food Tour of the Original Farmers Market, a Sunset Hike in Griffith Park with Bikes & Hikes L.A., a Starline bus tour of Downtown, and visited the Natural History Museum, California Science Center, and experienced hotels, dining and shopping in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood.
UNITED AIRLINES/CHINA FAM, APRIL 26-28
The PR Team hosted a FAM trip in partnership with United Airlines with a group of journalists from China to tour Los Angeles area attractions, LATCB members and partners. The journalists write for publications including Xinhua News Agency-Chengdu Station, West China Metropolis Daily, Chengdu Business Daily, Sichuan Television News Center and Travel+Leisure. The group experienced shopping in Santa Monica, The Grove, and Hollywood & Highland Center, went horseback riding at Griffith Park with Sunset Ranch Hollywood, toured Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, stayed at hotels in Beverly Hills.