Los Angeles once again hosts U.S. Travel Association's IPW Convention

06-05-24

After a 12-year hiatus, the Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to welcome back the U.S. Travel Association's IPW, the largest inbound travel trade show, to Los Angeles May 3-7. 

The bustling city of Los Angeles will be the main stage for IPW, with key events spread across iconic venues such as the Getty Center, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at Exposition Park and Universal Studios Hollywood. 

This announcement coincides with Los Angeles Tourism's year-end 2023 tourism report, which reveals significant gains in recovery with 49.1 million total visitors, representing 97% of 2019 levels. This impressive figure includes 43.3 million domestic visitors (fully recovered from 2019 levels) and 5.8 million international visitors (nearly 79 percent recovered from 2019). 

The economic impact is substantial, with $40.4 billion in total commercial sales and more than 530,000 tourism-related jobs for Angelenos. Hotel metrics also soared, with 30.2 million room-nights sold, a 71.7 percent occupancy rate and an average daily rate of $198. In addition, tourism significantly eased the tax burden, contributing $3.2 billion in state and local taxes, which translates to an annual savings of $965 per household in Los Angeles County.

“Tourism remains the cornerstone of the Los Angeles economy, supporting more than 530,000 jobs and driving economic vitality,” said Adam Burke, President and CEO of Tourism Los Angeles. “Hosting IPW marks a pivotal moment for our city's tourism sector. With Los Angeles' global appeal and diverse offerings, coupled with increased demand, we anticipate reaping the benefits of this event for years to come.”

IPW is a vital platform for driving international travel to the United States. This year's event anticipates exceeding 2019 attendance levels for the first time post-pandemic, projecting more than $5.5 billion in future travel revenue to the U.S. During the event, nearly 100,000 scheduled business appointments will facilitate connections between more than 1,700 global travel buyers, press representatives and 5,700 travel professionals from nearly 70 countries.

Los Angeles attracts visitors from both domestic and international markets, including countries such as Mexico, Canada, China, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Australia, France, Japan, Germany and India.

Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, commented, “Los Angeles, with its diversity and accessibility, is an ideal host for U.S. Travel's IPW. This highly anticipated event will not only catalyze new visitation, but also bring long-term benefits to the city, California and the country as a whole.”

While domestic visitation has been spearheading Los Angeles' tourism recovery, international recovery is expected to take another 24 months to reach pre-pandemic levels. To boost international tourism, Tourism Los Angeles maintains a presence in 15 global markets, including seven overseas offices.

During IPW, Los Angeles will host several highlights, including a media brunch at The Getty, the opening night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the closing event at Universal Studios Hollywood. In addition, the Los Angeles Convention Center will be the epicenter of the show, and Visit California will offer programming at California Plaza.

As air service gradually recovers, Tourism Los Angeles continues its global promotion efforts through its “Now Playing” campaign. Launched in February 2024, this campaign targets key markets such as the U.S., Australia/New Zealand, Canada, France, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Since its inception, the campaign has generated more than $2 billion in direct spending in Los Angeles. Expansion plans include targeting the drive and short-haul travel markets to drive hotel demand, taking advantage of major events taking place in Los Angeles County.

“Los Angeles and California are poised to captivate the global travel community, showcasing our state's diverse offerings and the resilience of our hospitality sector,” said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California. “California continues to be the ultimate playground for travelers from around the world, offering experiences tailored to each visitor.”

In 2023, Los Angeles hosted 21 city conventions at the Los Angeles Convention Center, attracting more than 390,000 attendees and generating nearly 182,000 overnight stays, with total spending of nearly $422 million.