L.A. Tourism Board Announces Record Tourism and Visitor Spending during National Travel & Tourism Week Celebration: 44.2 Million Visitors Spent $19.6 Billion in 2014
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (L.A. Tourism) today announced L.A.’s record-breaking visitation, visitor spending and tourism job growth for 2014. The announcement was made to coincide with this week’s National Travel & Tourism Week, an annual nationwide event established by Congress and organized by the U.S. Travel Association to celebrate the power of travel.
Los Angeles welcomed 44.2 million visitors in 2014 – a final total which exceeds previously reported estimates – an increase of 4.8% over 2013 levels. Total domestic visitation reached 37.7 million visitors and domestic overnight visitation achieved 23 million visitors. International visitation, an ever-important segment of the market, reached new levels at 6.5 million visitors, a 5.6% percent increase over 2013.
Record visitor spend of $19.6 billion increased 6.8% from the previous year, generating $30.2 billion in total economic impact including the induced and indirect benefits. International visitors, who tend to stay longer and spend more during their visit, accounted for nearly 33% of all visitor spending. Tourism generated $2.3 billion in state and local tax revenues in 2014.
L.A.’s tourism industry was a significant driver for jobs in the Leisure & Hospitality sector, one of the area’s largest and strongest economic sectors, which helped support 464,600 jobs and employed 1 in every 9 workers in L.A. County. Tourism contributed to the addition of 25,300 new jobs in the sector last year, making it the County’s leading job growth sector.
“A shining star of our local economy, the tourism industry continues to thrive, supporting good-paying jobs for our families and generating significant revenue for our city’s vital public services,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “National Travel and Tourism Week is the perfect time to celebrate these record-breaking tourism numbers and their benefits to our community. Angelenos should be proud our city continues to be a desired destination for millions of visitors from around the globe.”
“This remarkable growth for the local tourism industry elevates L.A.’s status as a leading global tourist destination to new heights,” said Ernest Wooden Jr., president and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. “These achievements, along with L.A. Tourism’s accelerated marketing efforts, firmly position Los Angeles towards reaching our goal of 50 million visitors by 2020.”
L.A.’s hotel occupancy and hotel room nights sold both set all-time highs in 2014. Hotel occupancy for the year reached 78.9%, surpassing the previous 2013 high of 76.8%. L.A. County’s hotels sold a record 28.1 million room nights in 2014, an increase of 3.2% percent over 2013.
“Our hospitality community should be very proud of these stellar results since hoteliers play an important role in achieving these economic impacts as our city’s ambassadors,” said Javier Cano, chairman of Los Angeles Tourism Marketing District Board; vice president and market general manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. “While the spotlight showcases our Leisure & Hospitality community during National Travel and Tourism Week, it’s their everyday passion and dedication for the guest experience that contributes to making L.A. such a welcoming, inspiring destination for our visitors.”
ABOUT LOS ANGELES TOURISM & CONVENTION BOARD
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is a private, non-profit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for leisure travel, meetings and conventions as the City’s official tourism marketing organization. For more information, visit the official visitor information website of Los Angeles at discoverLosAngeles.com, join the more than one million people who follow L.A. Tourism’s Facebook page at facebook.com/LosAngelesFan, or follow @discoverLA on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
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Data sources include Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.
