LOS ANGELES, CA (December 2007) – LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau lauds the signing of an agreement Tuesday (December 11) between the United States and China, making it possible for Chinese leisure groups to travel to the U.S. for the first time. As the most popular U.S. city for Chinese visitors, Los Angeles expects to see a 50 percent increase in travel from China after the first 12 months of the policy’s implementation. This equates to a 55,000 increase in visitors and a $44 million increase in direct visitor spending.
“Today, one third of all Chinese visitors to the U.S. come to Los Angeles and we're glad to have the resources in place to ensure that trend continues,” said Mark Liberman, president and CEO of LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Over the past year since we opened the first city-level tourism office in China, we have established relationships with Chinese travel agencies and tour operators that will provide us with a competitive edge.” Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa officially opened LA’s China Office in Beijing in October 2006. The office is managed jointly by Los Angeles World Airports and LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“LA made a very strategic decision by setting up a tourism office in Beijing,” says Yimei Guo, General Manager, China Travel Service (USA), Inc. “With the expected demand in Chinese visitors to the U.S. to significantly increase over the next few years, LA is well positioned to take advantage of the marketplace.”
Tuesday’s agreement between the United States and China was announced at the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will bring more customers to the U.S. tourism industry by facilitating group leisure travel from China to the U.S. and is expected to be implemented in the Spring of 2008.
China is Los Angeles' fastest growing overseas visitor market. In 2006, 110,000 visitors from China generated $109 million in direct visitor spending in Los Angeles. With 19 weekly nonstop flights from China to LA, Los Angeles International Airport is the only U.S. airport serviced by all three national Chinese airlines -- Air China (seven weekly flights serving Beijing/Peking), China Eastern (seven weekly flights serving Shanghai Pudong) and China Southern (five weekly flights serving Guangzhou).
“The agreement to permit Chinese group leisure travel to the U.S. underscores the importance of LAX moving ahead with airport construction projects serving the international aviation community,” said Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports. “The Tom Bradley International Terminal modernization and the recently announced Midfield Satellite are among airport improvement programs that will make LAX fully competitive with other U.S. air gateways and provide world travelers with the highest levels of customer service.”
Major LA attractions are also preparing for the influx of visitors and are looking forward to welcoming new business. Larry Kurzweil, president and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios Hollywood, said “As our sister company, NBC, prepares for the Beijing Olympics and other NBC Universal divisions make tremendous strides in introducing Hollywood product to Chinese audiences, Universal Studios Hollywood is thrilled with the widening of official doors to increased Chinese tourism. We look forward to welcoming many more Chinese guests to our theme park and taking them behind the scenes of The Entertainment Capital of L.A.”
Between 2006 and 2011, tourism analysts predict inbound travel from China to the U.S. will expand by 81 percent. It is estimated that 176 million residents of China have the financial means to travel and it is expected that this number will increase by 50 million within the next five years.
LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau is a private, nonprofit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for meetings, conventions and leisure travel. Though not part of city government, LA INC. is recognized as the city’s official tourism marketing organization. For more information, visit the official visitor information Web site of Los Angeles at www.discoverLosAngeles.com.
