As a sign of further commitment to the Indian market, the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board today became the first US destination to open a tourism office in India. Located in Mumbai, the newly opened office will focus on driving travel aspiration and motivate Indian visitors to increase length of stay and spend on the sunny east coast. 

Ernest Wooden Jr, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism officially opened the new office alongside international delegates while in the presence of India’s tourism industry. The office will work with the travel trade to develop customised and tailored product itineraries in line with consumer and travel trade interests. Encouraged by growth indicators in India- especially the growing outbound travel segment- Los Angeles Tourism’s latest visitation forecast projects a year over year growth of 4.4 per cent in 2019 with 1,35,000 Indian visitors.

DCM Edgard Kagan welcomed the visiting delegation from the City of Los Angeles, California to the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. Productive conversation about the #USIndiaTourism partnership and the inauguration of the first-ever Los Angeles tourism office in #IncredibleIndia! pic.twitter.com/O7nKeD5Oxq

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) November 14, 2019

Don Skeoch, Chief Marketing Officer, Los Angeles Tourism said “we target high-end luxury travellers belonging to Sec A segment in India. Our marketing promotions are only on digital and social media platforms because we are trying to convince millennials between 18 to 40 years. Our focus has also shifted from independent travellers to family travellers as well”.

‘Everyone is welcome’- Los Angeles Tourism campaign

With visitation to Los Angeles expected to grow by a year over year average of 5 per cent over the next five years with nearly 1.65,000 Indian travellers by 2023, Los Angeles Tourism is looking at launching yet another influencer advocacy campaign in the upcoming months. Current campaign ‘Everyone is welcome’ already featuring Malaika Arora, Sonam Kapoor and husband Anand Ahuja, Skeoch added that “we have seven major motion picture studios and many Bollywood celebrities would benefit to associate with us because it will also give them exposure as well”. 

Known for its movie studio the tourism board will tweak its strategy to start promoting its varied culinary experiences as well as booming fusion foods culture. Indian travellers love to try new things and therefore we have decided to promote the culinary as well as sports-related experiences to them added Don Skeoch.