The takeaway from IPW23 is Visit California is back, baby, as the Golden State gears up to host international travel trade and media for IPW24 in Los Angeles.
Visit California President & CEO Caroline Beteta said the Golden State has “truly bounced back faster than expected in terms of forecast” against 2019 levels.
“I mean it’s incredible news. In 2022, we were already 93 per cent recovered so we’re well on our way to full recovery this year,” Ms Beteta enthused.
“California is also enjoying a huge surge in international inbound lift. In fact, in 2022, our airlift was 83 per cent recovered from pre-pandemic.”
Ms Beteta noted that California has more commercial airports than any other state in the nation, making it easy to get around from beyond the gateway cities.
“California is still America’s number-one travel destination and we’re working aggressively to re-enter our most critical international markets,” she added.
New offerings in Cali
California took the opportunity during the pandemic to re-embed itself with a host of unparalleled offerings. Some new updates include a sustainability guide, a road trips guide and the new Visit Native California initiative.
“It’s designed to tell authentic stories of California’s native people in their voice. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in partnership with our tribes and our native communities and the content explores the many ways to experience both California’s native past and the dominant dynamic modern lives of the states, native people,” she said.
“Despite this pandemic, California’s tourism product is stronger than ever. No California cities were hit tremendously hard, yet they continue to preserve and evolve and really dig into this renaissance, putting in a new face to their communities that they want to share with people around the world.”
LA 2.0
Los Angeles Tourism Senior Vice President, Global Communications Chris Heywood was quick to echo this comeback with the city racking up USD$34.5 billion in total business sales for 2022, reaching 91 per cent of 2019’s record levels.
“Last year, total visitation to Los Angeles reached 46.2 million visitors, including 4.3 million international visitors,” Mr Heywood said.
“There was a significant investment in LA throughout the pandemic. In fact, one of the few silver linings of the pandemic is that it has been an accelerant to capital improvements.
“The LA experience begins the moment you touch down at a $15 billion modernised Los Angeles International Airport, transforming into one of the world’s premier airports.
“This ambitious project includes both major investments and improvements in infrastructure and elevated guest experiences. And next year, we will welcome the highly anticipated automated people mover with a direct service connection to downtown Los Angeles,” he said.
New LA to explore
Los Angeles Tourism launched the ‘Now Playing’ ad campaign last year and reaffirmed its commitment to key international markets with its seven sales offices worldwide remaining open throughout the pandemic and certifying more than 3,000 travel advisors as experts.
Los Angeles also has a host of new hotels plus sports, shopping and culinary experiences, breaking down the city into seven distinct regions to explore.
“Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning guest, there are more reasons than ever to visit the City of Angels,” Mr Heywood said.