When Angelenos woke up the morning of January 7th, it seemed unfathomable that within less than a week the communities of Altadena and the Palisades would experience the utter devastation of two of the worst wildfires in the nation’s history. After conducting an aerial survey of the damage nearly two weeks later, I simply didn’t have the words to express how deeply it affected me, and my heart goes out to those who have suffered unimaginable loss. We can never adequately recognize the heroic efforts of first responders – not just from LA, but across the state and around the globe in an incredible display of unity and support – who were able to fully contain the fires within two weeks. But the rebuilding process will take far longer.

Facing these tragic circumstances, however, I have never been prouder to be part of our remarkable industry. We all recognize the indispensable role that tourism plays in elevating communities during the best of times – but that’s never more evident than in times of crisis. From day one, the overwhelming outpouring of love and support has lifted our spirits, inspired us to push forward and provided much-needed donations for relief efforts.  

I’d like to particularly thank Don Welsh and the whole team at Destinations International (DI) and the Destinations International Foundation for being the first organizations to create a matching grant program. From LA to Asheville, Baltimore, Maui, New Orleans and more, the Destinations International Foundation continues to secure the future of our industry in deeply meaningful ways. Thanks to your incredible generosity – coupled with contributions from across the industry – we are profoundly grateful that we’ve collectively raised more than $825,000 to date.

Times like these always cause one to reflect and, in doing so, I was struck by how relevant DI’s Key Content Themes have been over the past 60 days. I found these principles to be foundational in our recovery efforts – a true testament to the great care with which they were developed. Specifically: 

1. Community Alignment & Engagement

From the first moment of the wildfires, our team was integrally involved in LA’s emergency response.  Within 24 hours, we created a microsite with real-time updates for residents and visitors alike, including a host of resources and direct links to public and private sector relief organizations. We strive to be a “community centered” organization and, whenever travelers visit our destination, they become part of that extended community. As a result, we were able to serve as a virtual “gathering point” to support those in need. Beyond that, it was truly inspiring to see how our industry mobilized to provide emergency accommodations, meals, transportation and essential supplies for evacuees and first responders – a testament to how we consistently show up in good times and bad. 

2. Destinations Stewardship

Building on the core principles of stewardship that DI has articulated so well over the past decade, LA Tourism’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all Angelenos through the economic and community benefits of tourism. That fundamentally means caring for our community above all else, recognizing that what’s good for residents will always be good for visitors, but the converse does not always hold true. Over the last two months, that has entailed striking a balance between educating travelers that LA is open for businesses, while asking that visitors remain respectful of those in Altadena and the Palisades, and travel responsibly by avoiding those neighborhoods as they begin to rebuild.

3. Technology & Digital Marketing

Our City of Angels spent two weeks combatting wildfires, and we are now combatting significant misperceptions that threaten to exacerbate the impacts on our community. Research shows that travelers believe 30% to 50% of the region was damaged by the wildfires, while the actual figure is less than 2%. One of our most important responsibilities during times of crisis is to educate prospective visitors as quickly as possible regarding misinformation of this nature. While actively growing our social and digital presence is an integral part of our promotional strategy, it serves an even more essential role in this regard. With a combined social following of nearly six million, plus an “always-on” digital marketing strategy, we have been able to best support our community by ensuring the world knows that LA is open for business. 

4. Resilience, Stability & Growth

Taking lessons from the pandemic, we recognize that remaining nimble is critical to long-term success, developing the ability to rapidly shift to address changing circumstances. In addition to the direct support services provided by LA Tourism’s Member businesses, adjusting programming in real-time was essential to navigating the early stage of recovery. As one example, recognizing that our restaurant community continues to struggle with the long-term impacts of the pandemic, we elected to move forward with the Dine LA culinary program, but with the addition of a $5 donation to relief efforts from LA Tourism for every reservation made during the two-week event. And, thanks to a generous matching grant from Banc of California, locals and visitors were able to support over 420 participating restaurants resulting in a $100,000 donation to wildfire relief. 

5. Social Inclusion

As one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive destinations – with Angelenos hailing from 140 different countries – visitors don’t just feel welcomed, but truly embraced by our community. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t significant opportunities to ensure that the benefits of tourism are more equitably distributed across the entire region – one of our organization’s core operating principles. We believe that every single business decision represents an opportunity to drive greater equity and inclusion, highlighting the vibrant tapestry that makes our City of Angels such a special place to live and visit. That commitment is reflected in ongoing programming to ensure that our words align with our actions. Tragically, Altadena was one of the first middle class Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles, with the wildfires wiping out generational wealth. We are committed to using the long-term power of tourism to help all affected Angelenos rebuild. 

6. Success Measurements

Using tools that were originally developed by the DI Foundation (e.g. – Tourism Lexicon, DestinationNEXT, Social Inclusion Framework) and are now a core part of the DI’s work, we have focused our community messaging around tourism’s direct community impacts rather than the number of visitors to our destination. With more than 543,000 Angelenos and over 1,000 local businesses relying on tourism for their livelihoods, our industry has become one of the most significant drivers of our local economy. Beyond that, the City’s General Fund receives over $300 million annually through lodging taxes, providing essential services – including public safety – for all Angelenos. On a more personal level, every LA County household enjoys annual tax savings of $965 through the public services that are funded by visitor taxes and assessments. 

7. Workforce Development

Although we all recognize how special our industry is, it’s also clear that younger generations don’t fully understand the breadth and depth of opportunities available to them – something that is ultimately our collective responsibility. Programs like 30 Under 30 play an important role in rebuilding our talent pipeline but, given the magnitude of the issue, it will take a collaborative, industry-wide approach to create collective impact. Since we are a demand-driven business, our efforts to accelerate the pace of recovery from the wildfires will be absolutely vital to keep those working in our sector employed – particularly those who have suffered immeasurable loss due to the wildfires. From that perspective, workforce development efforts must be dually focused on maintaining the current baseline of available tourism-related careers, as well as engaging with public and private sector partners to actively grow these opportunities over time. 

While the last 60 days have been indescribably difficult for our City of Angels, I have never been more grateful to be part of an industry that makes a profound difference in communities around the world. Put simply, I believe, now more than ever, that tourism truly is indispensable – and that’s something worth celebrating. #WeLoveLA 

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