Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Name	Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Type	Nonprofit
Founded	1967
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Area served	Los Angeles County

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is a destination marketing organization focused on promoting Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and surrounding communities as leisure and meeting destinations. It engages with event planners, travel media, hospitality employers, and cultural institutions to attract conventions, leisure travelers, and film production business to the Los Angeles Convention Center and regional hotels. The organization collaborates with municipal bodies, trade groups, and international tourism offices to position the region alongside competitors such as New York City, Las Vegas Strip, San Francisco, and Chicago.

History

Founded in 1967 amid postwar expansion of Los Angeles International Airport and the growth of the Hospitality industry in the United States, the organization emerged from civic efforts involving the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Greater Los Angeles Economic Alliance, and hotel owners clustered around Downtown Los Angeles. Early campaigns highlighted attractions including Griffith Observatory, Getty Center, Universal Studios Hollywood, and the Santa Monica Pier to boost air service from carriers such as Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines. During the 1980s and 1990s it worked with event promoters for the Los Angeles Marathon, Academy Awards, and large trade fairs at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Following economic shocks like the 2008 Great Recession and the COVID‑19 pandemic, it updated strategies used by peers such as the VisitBritain and Tourism Australia organizations to recover convention bookings and leisure travel.

Organization and Governance

The board operates as a nonprofit corporation governed by a volunteer board of directors drawn from hotel companies such as Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, and Hyatt Hotels Corporation; cultural institutions including The Music Center and Walt Disney Concert Hall; and corporate partners like Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon (company). Executive leadership historically coordinates with the Mayor of Los Angeles's office, the Los Angeles City Council, the LAX Community Noise Roundtable, and county agencies including Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Governance follows models used by destination marketing organizations like Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau and NYC & Company, with committees for finance, destination development, and diversity led by board chairs who have held roles at Anschutz Entertainment Group and regional convention bureaus.

Marketing and Promotion

Marketing strategies emphasize cross-promotion of landmarks such as Rodeo Drive, Dolby Theatre, Staples Center, The Broad, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Campaigns have targeted feeder markets served by airlines including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, and promoted itineraries featuring Malibu, Venice Beach, Pasadena, and the San Gabriel Mountains. The board leverages partnerships with media outlets like Los Angeles Times, Variety (magazine), The Hollywood Reporter, and global tourism trade shows such as ITB Berlin and World Travel Market. Digital initiatives mirror tactics by Booking.com and Expedia Group while integrating influencer outreach involving celebrities associated with Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Netflix, Inc..

Programs and Initiatives

Key initiatives include convention sales for the Los Angeles Convention Center, workforce development programs tied to UNITE HERE Local 11 and hospitality training providers, sustainability efforts aligned with Global Sustainable Tourism Council standards, and cultural promotion with organizations like LA Phil and Los Angeles Opera. The board runs niche programs for film and television production incentives coordinated with the California Film Commission and civic partners during events such as the LA Pride, Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Los Angeles, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. Visitor services extend to information centers near Union Station, partnerships with transit operators such as Metrolink (California), and participation in initiatives modeled after Sustainable Travel International.

Economic Impact and Statistics

Economic analyses produced by the organization estimate visitor spending across sectors including lodging, dining, and attractions, referencing metrics used by U.S. Travel Association and California Travel and Tourism Commission. Reports detail metrics for hotel occupancy influenced by major events at Crypto.com Arena and convention bookings at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and include comparisons to markets like San Diego Convention Center and Anaheim Convention Center. Data tie into employment figures in hospitality segments represented by unions such as Teamsters and labor studies associated with National Bureau of Economic Research methodologies.

Partnerships and Sponsorships

Strategic partners include local hotel chains, legacy cultural institutions like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, sports franchises such as Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and LA Galaxy, and corporate sponsors across advertising, airline, and technology sectors including Google LLC and Samsung Electronics. International promotion partners include consular trade offices and national tourism organizations such as Visit California, Japan National Tourism Organization, UK Department for International Trade, and state-level economic development agencies. Collaborative projects have linked the board with events organized by Los Angeles World Airports and large-scale expos resembling Expo 2020 Dubai partnerships.

Controversies and Criticism

Criticism has emerged over allocation of public funds and assessments of return on investment for citywide marketing, echoing debates seen with Tourism Ireland and destination marketing organizations in Barcelona. Labor disputes involving hospitality workers and unions like UNITE HERE and Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union have cited responsibilities for affordable workforce housing and living wages. Environmental advocates referencing Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council have sometimes challenged tourism growth policies in sensitive areas like Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Ballona Wetlands. Transparency advocates have compared reporting practices to standards promoted by watchdogs such as Sunlight Foundation and ProPublica.

Category:Tourism in Los Angeles County