News & Notes - October 2019

Are you one of the 99 million Americans who currently doesn’t have an acceptable ID to board a domestic flight on and after October 1, 2020? In less than one year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will require every American traveling by air to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license (or another acceptable form of ID such as a U.S. passport) to go through airport security checkpoints and board their flight.
 

That means beginning October 1, 2020, a traditional driver’s license will no longer be accepted through airport security. If you don’t see a star or U.S. flag on your current driver’s license, that means you are not REAL ID-compliant.

Unless you plan to use your U.S. passport or Global Entry for every single domestic flight, you must go to a California DMV to get a REAL ID. Before lines at your local DMV get even longer, plan ahead and make an appointment online, up to three months in advance. You’ll also be able to fill out the online application to save time during your DMV visit and learn which documentation you’ll have to bring with you to obtain a REAL ID.

For questions or specific step-by-step instructions on obtaining a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license in California, please check with the California DMV: https://realid.dmv.ca.gov/

U.S. Travel has created this comprehensive fact sheet that outlines everything you need to know about getting #REALIDready.

Members of Los Angeles Tourism are invited to an exclusive screening of the award-winning documentary “Skid Row Marathon.” If you heard Judge Craig Mitchell, founder of the Skid Row Running Club, speak at Market Outlook Forum, you learned about the positive impact Skid Row Running Club is making on our community. The club is using the power of running to improve the lives of Angelenos who are at risk of homelessness and addiction.

Click here to RSVP for this exclusive screening.

Screening Date: Monday, October 21, 2019
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Regal Cinemas – L.A. LIVE
1000 West Olympic Blvd.
Parking: L.A. LIVE - $9 for 4 hours with validation
Additional Details: Movie will start at 5 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and a special guest. Soda & popcorn will be provided.

We are witnessing the powerful convergence of 5G, IoT, AI and Big Data, and MWC Los Angeles provides the platform for businesses to harness that potential and position themselves for maximum success. The leading voices in the tech industry will join us in Los Angeles to address the topics and trends shaping the connected future. This year’s speakers include:

• Mayor Garcetti
• Ajit Pai, Chairman, FCC
• Kathryn Schloessman, President & CEO, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission
• Michel Combes, CEO, Sprint
• Tami Erwin, EVP & Group CEO, Verizon Business, Verizon
• Bob Bakish, President & CEO, Viacom
• Thomas Gewecke, Chief Digital Officer & EVP, Strategy & Business Development, Warner Bros. Entertainment

This one-of-a-kind B2B industry gathering brings together global players in telco, tech and adjacent industries with US and North American digital leadership at the forefront. Attendees from around the world come to LA to learn from North America’s leaders about the future of 5G implementation, and experience live 5G networks, firsthand.

From October 22-24th, 2019 - Cisco, Ericsson, Nokia, Sprint, Qualcomm, Verizon, VMWare and other innovative companies will arrive in LA to explore current and future business opportunities and make new connections for greater collaboration. MWC Los Angeles will include a showcase of the latest innovations; a world-class conference featuring inspiring keynotes and discussions; and one-of-a-kind networking opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to connect with the influencers from around the world who are leading the era of Intelligent Connectivity.

Los Angeles is playing a significant role in digital transformation – and we want you to be part of the discussion at MWC Los Angeles. Take advantage of a special 10% discount on Silver Passes – exclusive to Los Angeles Tourism members. Simply use code PEP10WPWBS when registering for the event. Click here to get started!

Last Chance to Advertise in the 2020 Visitor’s Map! Due to high demand, we are increasing our circulation in 2020 to 400,000 Visitor's Maps! Distributed in more than 500 L.A. locations, the Visitor's Map features all advertiser businesses for additional exposure. Visitor's Map Rate Card

As Los Angeles International Airport ramps up work on its modernization program, the airport announced plans for “LAX-it,” a convenient, amenity-rich, centralized area for guests to pick up a taxi or ride app service, and avoid traffic in the Central Terminal Area (CTA). LAX-it will open at the end of October, and will remain in service until the Automated People Mover opens in 2023. LAX-it will only be for pickups, as ride app and taxi drivers will continue to drop off passengers at the terminal curbs on the Upper/Departures Level. LAX-it is located just east of Terminal 1, at the corner of World Way and Sky Way. Accessible by either a short walk from many terminals or via a dedicated shuttle from the airport’s terminals, LAX-it will reimagine the pickup process for taxis, Uber, Lyft and Opoli with additional amenities such as restrooms, benches, umbrellas for sun and rain protection, and local food trucks. LAX-it will also offer connectivity, with cellphone charging stations and Wi-Fi. Dedicated staff at LAX-it will provide passenger assistance and lane management on site. 

The shuttles will operate in a dedicated lane on the lower/arrivals level where they will not compete with other airport traffic and will take guests from any terminal to the new pickup area. Shuttles will come every 3 to 5 minutes during peak hours. They will make a maximum of 2 stops before heading to LAX-it. LAX staff will be available at each shuttle stop to help with wayfinding, questions, luggage loading and assistance for guests with disabilities.
 

Travel to and within the United States grew 3% year-over-year in August, according to the U.S. Travel Association's latest Travel Trends Index (TTI), marking the industry's 116th straight month of growth. The bright spot in the TTI was the strength of the domestic leisure travel segment, which expanded 4% while vacation intentions reached their highest level in 2019 thus far. However, forward-looking bookings and search data indicate there may be uncertainty on the horizon for the domestic segment: the Leading Travel Index (LTI), the TTI's predictive element, projects domestic travel growth will soften to just 1.8% in the coming six months.
 

Domestic travel as a whole grew 3.4%, dragged down slightly by a weakening domestic business travel segment (1.2%), though business travel is expected to pick up again and expand 1.6% over the next six months.
 

Travelers generated $59.8 million in transient occupancy tax collections for the City of L.A.’s general fund during July & August 2019, a 2.2% year-over-year increase. The adopted budget for FY 2019-2020 estimates a total of $326.6 million in TOT collections.