Last year, LA welcomed more than 353,000 visitors from the Australia and New Zealand with visitation expected to increase by 4.55 per cent this year. Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board regional vice president, Asia Pacific, Craig Gibbons, answers key questions about overcoming challenges, hosting special events and the highlights ahead.
How would you describe the state of the luxury and experiential travel market right now, and how has demand shifted compared with this time last year?
While we are certainly faced with similar challenges there is a lot of optimism and positivity as a result of the new world-class attractions and global sporting events coming to Los Angeles, with the number of visitors from Australia continuing to increase year over year.
Visitors from Oz have long been amongst LA’s most enthusiastic visitors, with the market remaining our second largest overseas source market following China.
In particular, the Australian luxury segment has grown, with increased demand for elevated hotel products, tours, event-based travel and experiences.
We continue to focus on providing our visitors with value, and for different travellers, this varies in look and feel.
We have seen a rise in travellers looking to experience LA with a blended experiential itinerary featuring different price points, depending on what they perceive as value. For some travellers, they may choose to stay in a 4-star hotel, but splurge on one of our Michelin-star restaurants, court-side seats at the LA Lakers, or a helicopter ride over the Hollywood Hills. For others, the hotel experience may be at the heart of their stay, so this will be where they allocate the lion-share of their budget.
Whether it is a well-seasoned traveller looking to experience a new LA neighbourhood, or a visitor prompted by a “once in a lifetime” music or sports event, or a first-time visitor looking to experience “only in LA” bucket list attractions; these Aussie travellers remain open-minded, so we’ll continue to roll out the red carpet for their visit, ensuring an unforgettable holiday experience.
Los Angeles has always been a dream destination for Australians, what’s driving that continued love affair right now?
Australians and Angelenos have a lot in common. We share an open mindset, a love of adventure and travelling, a passion for sports and an active, outdoor lifestyle. Focusing on these shared interests, along with Aussie’s love of American pop-culture has resonated well.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has traditionally been the most popular gateway for Australians into North America, and this remains true today. Australians can choose between 4 direct carriers including Qantas, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines; or one-stop carriers including Air New Zealand, Fiji Airways and Hawaiian Airlines. This connectivity keeps pricing competitive and allows LA to be seamlessly a standalone holiday destination, or part of a multi-stop American vacation. And with phase one of the multi-billion modernization of LAX nearly complete – including new Metro service that takes visitors from the airport to downtown in just 35 minutes and the upcoming SkyLink Automated People Mover – the visitor experience has never been better.
Sports tourism has been a successful focus for all of our international markets, and the momentum continues to grow in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup this June and July, the Rams game in Melbourne this September, the NFL Super Bowl in 2027 and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For FIFA World Cup, we have developed resources to welcome first-time visitors and locals alike with destination information, tips, and a calendar of events and activities spanning the full 39-days of the tournament, including official World Cup matches, fan celebrations, watch parties, and other soccer focused activities across the region.
In preparation for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the city has continued to invest in the tourism experience, welcoming world-class sporting venues such as SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome, improved public transport including the substantial airfield and terminal modernisation at LAX and nearly 10,000 new hotel rooms since 2020.
The LA Rams versus the San Francisco 49ers game at Melbourne Cricket Ground this September is a great example of the appeal of sports, as the game will make history as the first-ever NFL regular-season game played in Australia. The stadium fits over 95,000 and it’s almost sold out, so we hope that the visit will inspire Aussies to catch an American football game next time they are in LA. We have two teams – the LA Rams and the LA Chargers and both call SoFi Stadium home, a state-of-the-art venue that will also host the opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics, along with Swimming, so a visit is an experience in itself.
As the entertainment capital of the world, the city is home to “only in LA” experiences, such as visiting a working Hollywood film studio. Iconic and much-loved brands such as Universal Studios Hollywood, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Studios Tour Hollywood offer behind-the-scenes tours of their working studios and back-lots, allowing Aussies to get up close and personal to the action.
Thrill seekers should check out Universal Studios Hollywood in spring when they launch their first-ever high-speed outdoor roller coaster “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift”. Paying homage to the blockbuster film saga, Fast & Furious, will feature 360-degree rotation of the individual ride vehicles as guests travel along 4,100 feet (1,250 metres) of elaborate track — the equivalent of nearly 12 football fields — constructed with sound reduction technology.
A great tip for those on a budget. Australians can register to be part of a live studio audience, guaranteeing a celebrity spotting experience! Websites such as On-Camera-Audiences.com or 1iota.com provide free tickets to see Jimmy Kimmel, America’s Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and The Masked Singer.
Many people may not realise that LA has more galleries and cultural institutions than any other North American city per capita. This year we welcome some new additions including Refik Anadol Studio launching DATALAND on 20 June, the world’s first Museum of AI Arts at The Grand LA, the Frank Gehry-designed development in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.
On 22 September, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will open in Exhibition Park in South LA. The museum is founded by philanthropist and filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, and it will focus on the universal art of visual storytelling. It’s a must visit for any Star Wars fans, along with architecture enthusiasts who will marvel at the incredible structure designed by renowned architect Ma Yansong.
Are you seeing a shift in the type of traveller visiting LA in 2026, particularly around experiences, wellness, luxury or longer stays?
In addition to sports tourism, entertainment lovers are booking trips to experience Instagrammable music festivals, or catching their favourite band or artist during the summer at the iconic Hollywood Bowl, or at a record-making stint at SoFi Stadium.
For those looking to venture further afield, LA is the perfect place to start or end your Californian holiday. Self-drive trips have always been a popular choice, and these have been made easier with the opening of the new Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility at LAX, with over 12 rental car brands to choose from. This year LAX will also open the new SKYLINK train to better connect the terminals, car parks and regional metro rail system.
With over 300 days of sunshine a year, Australian visitors often gravitate to our iconic and laid-back beach cities, including Venice, Santa Monica, Manhattan and Hermosa. From LAX you can be at Venice or Manhattan Beach in 20-minutes, so an LA beachside stay is a perfect companion to those heading to Europe this Winter.
Despite global uncertainty and politics, travel demand remains strong. What do you think people are searching for emotionally when they choose a destination like Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is the capital of cool and the epicentre of pop-culture. The City of Angels is celebrated and described as “a home of dreamers” and this beautifully captures the city’s identity. It highlights how LA attracts those chasing ambitions, inspiration and big ideas; particularly in entertainment, innovation and creative endeavours.
This feeling of optimism and the sentiment of “anything is possible”, provides a unique and liberating backdrop to create your own LA story and holiday experience.
As the official tourism board for the City of Angels, we want visitors from around the world to know that everyone is welcome in Los Angeles. As one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive communities that is home to people from over 140 countries, we pride ourselves on the warm welcome that makes visitors feel instantly at home.
This vibrancy has resulted in an array of different neighbourhoods ready to be explored, providing repeat visitors with new possibilities each and every visit. This is particularly true in the food scene. Visitors can expect LA classics (think doughnuts, diners, burgers and hot dogs), food trucks and Michelin-starred high-end restaurants.
However, the city’s multiculturalism has inspired a contemporary culinary scene that includes unexpected fusion fare. I would recommend checking out one of these, such as Korean and Italian (Lapaba in Koeatown), Thai infused smash burgers (Ban Ban in Sawtelle Japantown) and Korean and Columbian (Escala in Koreatown).
What are some of the biggest travel trends emerging in LA at the moment that Australian agents and travellers should have on their radar?
We know that Australians enjoy cruising, so the fly-cruise segment is one that we will keep an eye on. The Port of Los Angeles is undergoing a major cruise expansion, with a brand-new Outer Harbour Cruise Terminal in development, along with the redevelopment of the existing World Cruise Center to accommodate the next generation of ships. Once completed, LA will be well positioned as the West-Coast Gateway for Cruising.
From LAX, visitors can connect with over 180 destinations from over 40 countries – so stopover provides an opportunity for us. We have heard from trade partners that demand for airline bookings from Australia to Europe via LAX are increasing in popularity due to travellers choosing to avoid the Middle East, so we will continue to explore ways to encourage stopovers.
Lastly, we would encourage agents to understand what their customers perceive as value, as travellers are no longer creating holistic luxury, mid-range or budget holiday itineraries. Visitors will splurge on the right experience, such as a sports game, a Michelin-star restaurant or VIP experience at a working Hollywood studio.
How is Los Angeles Tourism working with the Australian trade to keep agents inspired, informed and confident in selling the destination?
Los Angeles is the only North American CVB that has a dedicated tourism office in the local region, allowing for regular and personalised communications with members of the trade.
We will continue to roll out dedicated webinar training sessions in conjunction with the Destination Webinars in the coming months to showcase new developments in the city.
Travel Advisors can also increase their knowledge on LA by completing the official LA learning module on the CATO Online training program to assist with selling it to their clients with ease. Plus, stay tuned for news on famils and incentives too!
We have a dedicated travel trade website Discover Los Angeles at that provides localised and up-to-date information. We also welcome trade contacts to reach out to our office any time for assistance in planning the ultimate LA getaway. oceania@LAtourism.org
For travellers who think they already know LA, what’s surprising them most about the city right now?
There is a misperception that Los Angeles’ public transport system is antiquated, however the city has made some great developments making the city’s connectivity even more convenient. Earlier this month, LA’s Metro opened Section 1 of the D Line Subway Extension Project. The 3.92-mile (6.3km) addition takes riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighbourhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills. The three new underground stations will be at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega.
The new SkyLink at LAX will better connect terminals at the airport and connect to the new Metro service that takes visitors from the airport to downtown in just 35 minutes.
For Australians visiting LA landing at LAX with an ESTA, they can take advantage of Mobile Passport Control (MPC), a free app from the US Customs and Border Protection that streamlines entry into the US by allowing travellers to submit passport and declaration information digitally. The dedicated MPC line at LAX helps to reduce wait times without requiring pre-approval or fees.
