Los Angeles reached a historic milestone in 2018, welcoming 50 million annual visitors for the first time ever.
The results were announced overnight by Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board president and CEO Ernest Wooden Jr. at a special gathering of L.A’s tourism community.
Wooden revealed visitation increased by 1.5 million visitors in 2018, compared to 2017, marking the eighth consecutive year of tourism growth for the city.
“The 50 million milestone was set in 2013 as a north star goal for the tourism industry, but our unwavering focus on its significant community impact and tangible economic benefits seamlessly transformed it into a civic rallying cry for all of Los Angeles,” he said.
“Thank you to our city leadership and hospitality partners for their endless support and ongoing investments that have cemented tourism in L.A. as a powerful driver of economic growth.”
The record numbers consist of an estimated 42.5 million domestic visitors (3 per cent increase) and 7.5 million international visitors (3.6 per cent increase).
Australia remains L.A’s second biggest overseas market with 426,000 visitors in 2018, an increase of 2 per cent.
The visitation growth can be attributed to a 3.6 per cent increase in international seat capacity at Los Angeles International Airport, nearly 2000 new rooms added to the city’s hotel inventory and L.A. Tourism’s latest global campaign, ‘L.A. Loves’.
