The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau has outlined its plans for the UK market following the official opening of its London sales and marketing office last week.
The priority for the UKmarket is to increase the average length of stay, which currently stands at three days, to six days, and to encourage charter flights into LA’s Ontario Airport.
LACVB’s newly appointed director of Europe Francine Sheridan said:”My brief is to establish LA as a holiday destination in its own right rather than as a gateway which people just pass through.”
Plans for the next six months include the implementation of the Travel Academy training programme, which will entail a five-day programme of fam trips combined with classroom training on campus at University College Los Angeles.
The first group of 25 agents will travel to LA at the end of June.
Sheridan’s remit also covers devising a plan to promote LA’s two international airports, LA International and Ontario.
The UKoffice has a marketing budget of over £500,000 and will eventually employ four staff.