Thursday, April 11, 2024
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) is pleased to join colleagues across the country in celebrating Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID).
Professional meetings and conventions, although largely unnoticed, play a significant role in the local economy, serving as one of the region’s major contributors to employment, local business sales, and tax revenues that support essential services for all Angelenos.
“Meetings and conventions generate a remarkable $24 billion in local business sales annually with a workforce and supply chain that reaches into every LA neighborhood, including hundreds of small and diverse-owned businesses who depend on these events for their livelihoods,” said Adam Burke, Los Angeles Tourism’s President & CEO.
“From the family-owned catering company in Leimert Park to the florist in Boyle Heights, event planner in Westlake, countless Downtown restaurants, and so much more, hundreds of thousands of Angelenos across the region work in careers that directly support professional meetings.”
To underscore the vital role this sector plays in our national economy, Los Angeles Tourism will sponsor Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI’s) eighth annual global broadcast. This 12-hour virtual event will bring together leaders worldwide to discuss best practices, ensuring that meetings and events are delivered responsibly, equitably, and sustainably.
Los Angeles Tourism will also take part in a series of GMID events in collaboration with customers and planners across the country, including in Newport Beach, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Arlington, TX; Chicago, IL; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; and Washington, D.C.
This year’s GMID celebration coincides with Los Angeles preparing to host several major travel industry events. These include the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW in May, the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ 2024 Expo! Expo! in December, and the American Society of Association Executives’ 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo next year.
Los Angeles will notably welcome back IPW, the U.S. travel industry’s largest international inbound travel trade show, for the first time in over a decade. With projected attendance of over 5,000 global travel buyers, sellers, and media, IPW represents a significant milestone in LA’s economic recovery. It showcases the significant investment made in local infrastructure and an abundance of new, world-class attractions.
Each annual IPW has historically generated more than $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States, making it one of the most important events in the travel and tourism sector.
As the world’s entertainment capital, Los Angeles is always “red carpet ready,” allowing event planners to become producers and bring their creative vision to life.
With an unprecedented decade of global sporting events coming to LA, planners and attendees also have the opportunity to experience the host venues that will soon be on the world stage including the brand-new Intuit Dome (host of NBA All-Star 26), SoFi Stadium (host of the FIFA World Cup 26 and the opening ceremony of the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games), and iconic venues like Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, BMO Stadium, and Rose Bowl Stadium.
“Meetings not only build strong relationships, but they also drive business and provide long-lasting benefits to the communities in which they are held,” said Darren Green, Chief Sales Officer, Los Angeles Tourism.
“As stewards of the Los Angeles community, we believe that exploring our diverse neighborhoods and attractions is hugely important for meeting attendees to fully immerse themselves in the destination.
At Los Angeles Tourism, we strive to provide experiences that are uniquely LA while incorporating Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives into each meeting’s agenda to ensure that these events have a lasting, positive impact on our community.”
Over the past year, Los Angeles Tourism has intensified its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, focusing on workforce development, paid apprenticeships, supplier diversity, and partnerships with organizations such as the Los Angeles Career Academy, Skid Row Running Club, L.A. Works, and Feet First LA.
As a leader in sustainability, Los Angeles Tourism is proud to be the first urban destination in the United States to join the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). It has recently completed GSTC’s comprehensive destination sustainability assessment, aligning directly with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For instance, the Los Angeles Career Academy, launched in 2021 by the Los Angeles City Tourism Department (CTD), engages LA-area high school students in citywide conventions at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This hands-on experience enables students to learn about professional meetings and events, providing valuable insights into industries such as medical, technology, and entertainment.
“We are thankful to the City of Los Angeles and the LA Convention Center for introducing us to the LACC Career Academy,” said Sara Haywood, Assistant Vice President of Conference & Events, National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
“Through this innovative program, which exposes young people from underserved areas of LA to a variety of career possibilities, we were able to connect with ten students from Nava College Preparatory Academy. The students met with several of our members serving in all different sectors of the mental health and substance use disorder field. Students told us this opportunity inspired them to consider career paths they had not previously considered.”
Los Angeles Tourism has created opportunities for meeting planners and attendees to support the needs of unhoused Angelenos while focusing on team building and wellness.
Through its partnership with the Skid Row Running Club, Los Angeles Tourism recently connected the Urban Land Institute with the organization to add an optional run with the Skid Row Running Club to their meeting agenda. The Skid Row Running Club, featured in the inspirational documentary “Skid Row Marathon,” has helped many Angelenos transition out of homelessness by sponsoring them to compete in marathons worldwide.
At the heart of LA’s commitment to environmental sustainability in meetings and events is the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), which recently achieved certification as a Certified Green Business under the esteemed California Green Business Network. This certification underscores LACC’s commitment to environmental stewardship and its dedication to leading sustainable practices within the event industry, making Los Angeles an ideal choice for eco-conscious event planners and attendees.
Los Angeles Tourism is proud to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day and the positive impacts that meetings and events bring to every LA region, neighborhood, and household. Professional meetings and events are powerful tools, not only for driving business and sharing ideas but also for giving back, learning, and growing.
There are no upcoming events at this time
Comments: