Los Angeles Tourism, in partnership with Tourism Economics, has released its 2023 year-end tourism performance report, showcasing robust figures in visitor numbers and economic impact. In 2023, Los Angeles welcomed a total of 49.1 million visitors, representing a 97% recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Of the total visitors, 43.3 million were domestic tourists, marking a complete recovery to 2019 levels in that category. International visitation reached 5.8 million, achieving nearly 79% recovery compared to 2019 figures.
The tourism industry in Los Angeles generated $40.4 billion in total business sales, surpassing 2019 levels at 106.9%. Furthermore, the sector provided over 530,000 jobs for residents of Los Angeles. Hotel demand saw significant growth, with a total of 30.2 million room-nights sold in 2023. Hotel occupancy rose to 71.7%, accompanied by an average daily rate of $198.
The impact of tourism extended beyond the visitor experience, contributing $3.2 billion in state and local tax revenue. This resulted in an annual savings of $965 for each household in Los Angeles County, according to Los Angeles Tourism.
“Tourism continues to be an indispensable economic engine for Los Angeles, impacting the livelihoods of more than 530,000 tourism-related careers for Angelenos,” said Adam Burke, president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism.
The announcement coincides with the U.S. Travel Association's inbound travel trade show, IPW, which takes place in Los Angeles May 3-7 this year. The event is expected to exceed 2019 attendance levels for the first time since the pandemic, with projections of generating over $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States.
“With its incredible diversity and global accessibility, Los Angeles is a perfect city to host U.S. Travel’s IPW, and the thousands of travel professionals who are building back international travel to the United States,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “It’s been more than a decade since this signature event has convened in L.A., and it will lead to years of new visitation and benefits for the city, the state of California and the country overall.”
Los Angeles Tourism continues to promote the city's new developments and attractions. Ongoing projects include the modernization of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), new stadiums like the Intuit Dome and cultural projects such as Destination Crenshaw.
Editor's Note: This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by Los Angeles Tourism. It was fact-checked and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.
