Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) will join colleagues across the country in celebrating Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID).
“Meetings and conventions generate a remarkable $24 billion in local business sales annually with a workforce and supply chain that reaches into every L.A. 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 and CEO.
Los Angeles Tourism will sponsor Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI’s) eighth annual global broadcast, convening leaders from around the world for a 12-hour virtual event to discuss best practices and ensure that meetings and events are delivered responsibly, equitably and sustainably. Los Angeles Tourism will also participate in a series of GMID events in partnership 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 celebration of GMID comes as Los Angeles prepares to host major travel industry events, including 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’ Annual Meeting and Expo in 2025.
Notably, Los Angeles will welcome back IPW—the U.S. travel industry’s largest international inbound travel trade show—for the first time in over a decade. With a projected attendance of over 5,000 global travel buyers, sellers and media, IPW represents a significant milestone in L.A.’s economic recovery. Each annual IPW has generated over $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States.
With an unprecedented decade of global sporting events coming to L.A., planners and attendees also have the opportunity to experience venues including the 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 venues like Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, BMO Stadium and Rose Bowl Stadium.
Over the past year, Los Angeles Tourism has doubled down on its commitment to corporate social responsibility through programming focused on workforce development, paid apprenticeships, supplier diversity and ongoing partnerships with the Los Angeles Career Academy, Skid Row Running Club, L.A. Works, Feet First LA and more. Los Angeles Tourism is also the first urban destination in the United States to join the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which is tied to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As just two recent programming examples, the Los Angeles Career Academy—launched in 2021 by the Los Angeles City Tourism Department (CTD)—brings L.A.-area high school students together to participate in citywide conventions at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC). This experience gives students an opportunity to learn about professional meetings and events while gaining insights into a variety of industries, including medical, technology and entertainment.
Los Angeles Tourism has also created opportunities for meeting planners and attendees to understand and help support the needs of homeless Angelenos while focusing on team building and wellness. Through its partnership with the Skid Row Running Club, Los Angeles Tourism recently connected Urban Land Institute with the organization to add an optional run with the Skid Row Running Club to their meeting agenda. Captured in the documentary “Skid Row Marathon,” the running club has helped countless Angelenos transition out of homelessness while sponsoring them to compete in marathons worldwide.
Further, LACC recently achieved certification as a Certified Green Business under the California Green Business Network, making the city an ideal choice for eco-conscious event planners and attendees.
For more information, visit www.meetla.com.
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