Los Angeles is thrilled to host IPW 2024, the U.S. Travel Association’s premier inbound travel trade show, from May 3-7, 2024. This announcement coincides with Los Angeles Tourism’s release of its impressive 2023 tourism statistics in partnership with Tourism Economics. The city welcomed 49.1 million visitors last year, achieving 97% of its pre-pandemic visitor numbers from 2019. This includes a full recovery in domestic tourism and significant strides in international visits. Los Angeles also saw substantial economic gains, with tourism supporting over 530,000 local jobs and generating $40.4 billion in business sales. “Tourism continues to be an indispensable economic engine for Los Angeles, impacting the livelihoods of more than 530,000 tourism-related careers for Angelenos,” said Adam Burke, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism . “LA is one of the world’s most exciting, inclusive and ever-evolving destinations, and we are privileged to host IPW this year, a watershed moment for Los Angeles’ tourism industry. With sustained global interest in the City of Angels, and with more demand generators now than ever before, we are confident that LA will see the benefits of IPW for years to come.” IPW 2023 is set to be a landmark event, surpassing pre-pandemic attendance levels and potentially generating over $5.5 billion in future U.S. travel revenue. The event will facilitate around 100,000 business appointments, connecting over 1,700 global travel buyers and press with 5,700 travel professionals from almost 70 countries. Los Angeles continues to be a global draw, with significant visitor numbers from Mexico, Canada, China, the UK, South Korea, Australia, France, Japan, Germany, and India. The city maintains a robust international presence, supporting its recovery efforts with offices in key markets worldwide. “With its incredible diversity and global accessibility, Los Angeles is a perfect city to host U.S. Travel’s IPW and the thousands of travel professionals who are building back international travel to the United States,” said Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association . “It’s been more than a decade since this signature event has convened in LA, and it will lead to years of new visitation and benefits for the city, the state of California and the country overall.” Los Angeles Tourism is actively pursuing the recovery of international tourism, maintaining year-round operations in 15 global markets across four continents. This includes seven dedicated overseas offices in the United Kingdom, Australia, China (with four locations), and India. During the IPW event, Los Angeles will feature several key activities: a Media Brunch at The Getty in collaboration with PST ART: Art & Science Collide on Saturday, May 4; an Opening Night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on the same day; and a Closing Event at Universal Studios Hollywood on Tuesday, May 7. The main tradeshow will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with California Plaza hosting programs by Visit California. As air travel rebounds in major source markets, LA Tourism is boosting LA’s global profile with the ‘Now Playing’ global advertising campaign, which made its biggest investment to date in February 2024. Since its inception, ‘Now Playing’ has spurred over $2 billion in incremental direct spending in the city. “Los Angeles and all of California will be the center of attention for the global tourism community in the coming days, showcasing the abundance of experiences in the Golden State and the unparalleled resilience of the travel and hospitality community,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California . “California is the ultimate playground for travelers from across the world, and offers every visitor an opportunity to play in a way that speaks to them.” LA Tourism is also promoting the city’s latest offerings and developments under the LA 2.0 initiative. Key developments include the $30 billion modernization of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX); the upcoming opening of the Intuit Dome; an expanding culinary scene with more Michelin-rated restaurants; and significant arts and cultural openings like the South LA’s Destination Crenshaw and the new NHM Commons wing at The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Notably, the city will host the PST ART: Art & Science Collide event from September 2024 to February 2025, featuring over 818 artists and 60 exhibitions. Additionally, Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour celebrates its 60th anniversary with special events running from April 26 to August 11, 2024. In 2023, the LA Tourism Meetings and Conventions attracted 21 citywide conventions to the Los Angeles Convention Center, drawing over 390,000 attendees and generating nearly 182,000 hotel room nights in the LA area, contributing nearly $422 million in total spending.
Los Angeles Gears Up for IPW 2024, Showcasing its Tourism Triumphs and Future Potential
