The premier event for the travel industry is making its way to Los Angeles. The city last hosted the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow in 2004 and will do so again beginning this weekend — April 21-25. In just a few days, more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations, 1,200 buyers from more than 70 countries, and 480 travel journalists will be in Los Angeles learning about the city’s hidden gems and tourist attractions. The local economic benefits are impressive for Pow Wow host cities. Los Angeles is expected to see an immediate economic boost of $9.7 million, and can anticipate an additional $350 million during the two to four years following the event due to increased international travel. While most of the International Pow Wow activities are centered at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the whole city will be on display. This includes the San Fernando Valley. Two noted Valley hotels, The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn and Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City Hotel (both VICA members), are among the Pow Wow host hotels where delegates will stay during the event. To showcase a city as diverse as Los Angeles (in both geography and attractions) the Pow Wow committee has arranged for tours offered to delegates and special excursions for media only. Tours will be held Saturday and Sunday. Pow Wow delegates will have two opportunities to visit the Valley and its neighboring communities. On Saturday, the Cowboys and Coasters tour will take sightseers to Santa Clarita for the Cowboy Festival at Melody Ranch Studios. The group will also stop at Six Flags Magic Mountain and enjoy VIP walk-on access to several of the rides. The Sunday delegate tour will include Stoney Point Park, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the Mission San Fernando Rey de España. Following a media brunch in Downtown on Sunday, journalists will take one of 14 media tours offered around the city. The two media-only tours offered for the Valley will allow journalists to experience its flavors, arts and top attractions. One tour offers journalists a taste of well-known L.A. eateries — Casa Vega (a 2012 VICA San Fernando Valley Business Hall of Fame inductee) and Loteria! Grill. After enjoying Mexican food on Ventura Boulevard, the tour will continue to the North Hollywood Arts District (NoHo) to visit the NoHo Gallery, Gallery 800 and a dance lesson at Millennium Dance Complex (a VICA member). The second media tour features a VIP adventure at Universal Studios Hollywood (also a 2012 VICA San Fernando Valley Business Hall of Fame inductee). The famed studio turns 100 this year, but continues to produce films and introduce new attractions. Guests on this tour will get a special behind-the-scenes experience and be the first Pow Wow attendees to enjoy the new Transformers: The Ride-3D. Pow Wow guests who do not take the VIP tour will have their turn at Transformers: The Ride-3D during a special red carpet event on Monday night (April 23). The exclusive event will celebrate 100 years of movie making at the studio. Tourism is an important part of the Valley’s economy and the Valley activities offered by Pow Wow demonstrate its significance to the city. The Valley has an array of restaurants, arts, cultural activities and attractions that rival other cities around the globe. Pow Wow will help showcase this to the rest of the country…and the world. More information about International Pow Wow can be found at: powwow.discoverlosangeles.com. How does increased tourism in Los Angeles and the Valley benefit your business? What else can the city do to increase international and domestic tourism? Email your responses or thoughts about the column to [email protected].
