THELOSAngeles Convention and Visitors Bureau is to spend $1.5m on boosting its profile in the UK – the city’s second largest source of visitors after Japan.
The money will fund a new London office with a staff of four and promotional activities, which will include running educationals for 80 travel agents in the first year of operation.
LACVB president and chief executive officer George Kirkland said the initiative was intended to establish stronger relationships with UKtour operators and travel agents, and to encourage consumer interest in the destination.
Los Angeles received 491,000 UK visitors in 1998 – an 18% rise on the previous year. This represents 38% of all international tourists. Total spending by British holidaymakers was $630m.
“We expect continued growth in the market,” said Kirkland. “Over the next three years, we expect UK visitors to rise by 12%.
Products coming on-line in the next few years include a $380m attraction dedicated to the Oscars in Hollywood and a new arena in central Los Angeles to host a forecast 250 events per year.
Meanwhile, a $160m cathedral is being built – the first such project in the western US for 20 years.
The LACVB intends to expand its presence in Europe by appointing a general sales agent in Germany by the end of the year, followed by similar appointments in France and Italy after that. The LACVB team in London will be headed by Francine Sheridan, who was formerly European marketing manager at Visit Florida.
The address of the new office is 60 St James Street, London SW1A 1LE.