LOS ANGELES – For the fourth consecutive year, the city hit record-breaking tourism with 43.4 million visitors in 2014.
“LA is serious about being the destination for people who are visiting the United States,” Garcetti said Tuesday, Dec. 6 during an announcement at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where four additional gates have recently begun operating.
In addition to visitors, an estimated 70.7 million passengers passed through LAX last year.
“This means billions of dollars injected into our economy,” Garcetti said.
Along with other elected city, airport and tourism officials, the mayor cited the improvements being made to enhance LAX and boost tourism, one of the largest contributors to the Los Angeles economy.
Sean Burton, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, said there are currently more than $7 billion worth of construction projects in progress to transform LAX into a world-class airport. These projects are creating nearly 40,000 construction-related jobs and contribute $6.89 billion to the local economy.
Other measures taken to enhance LAX include a $438 million replacement of the central utility plant to provide more energy-efficient utility service to all terminals, and the addition of more dining and retail options.
And with the upcoming Special Olympics World Summer Games, direct pathways between the central terminal area, parking structures and front entrance of the terminals will be upgraded or replaced to ensure ease of use for those with disabilities and functional needs, Burton said.
As for the new gates at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, each will pump revenue into the local economy by bringing in more than $600 million annually through daily international flights, Garcetti said. Revenue could be even more if higher-capacity aircrafts land at the gates.
“We are transforming this airport and making it the kind of place it needs to be,” said Councilman Mike Bonin, whose district includes LAX. “We are busting the myth that Los Angeles can never have a world-class airport,” he said.
Last year, the Garcetti set a goal of bringing 50 million visitors to the city by 2020.
“I’m proud to announce that we are well on the way to meeting that goal,” he said, citing that last year’s number is up from 42.2 million visitors in 2013.
In 2013, the tourism industry brought in $18.4 billion in direct visitor spending to the Los Angeles area. In LA County, the tourism sector supports more than 400,000 jobs; in the 2013-14 fiscal year, the leisure and hospitality sector in the Los Angeles area generated $184.4 million in transient-occupancy taxes for the City.
“Tourism is such a critical economic engine for Los Angeles. [It’s] not just about job creation, but creating good jobs where workers can earn a good living and provide a good life for their families,” he said.
In November last year, Garcetti embarked on a trade mission to Asia along with various business leaders and elected officials to encourage investment and increase tourism in Los Angeles.
He said the city is doing especially well with Asian visitors, noting a 20 percent increase in Chinese who visit Los Angeles, a 7 percent boost in South Korean visitors and 6 percent more Japanese who have come to the city this past year.
LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world and third in the United States.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek January 7-9, 2015 Sec. A pg.1)
