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Local Tourism Industry Suffers Major Setbacks Due To COVID-19 Closures
Hollywood Blvd. still had some foot traffic back on March 10 when the industry was still bracing for what was expected to be a rough fallout from the growing pandemic. (Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images)
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International travel to Los Angeles has dwindled to almost nothing, amounting to nearly $5 billion in lost revenue for the local tourism industry. To help the city’s businesses and attractions survive, officials at the L.A. Tourism and Convention Board hope that Angelenos will consider taking local vacations.
Adam Burke, the board’s chief operating officer, estimates that if every employed L.A. resident stayed three nights in a local hotel, dined at three restaurants, and visited three museums or cultural attractions, it would go a long way towards rebuilding the economy (although it’s not clear how safe any of those activities are, under current coronavirus protection measures).
“That alone would inject about $1.4 billion back into our local economy,” Burke said, “and, thankfully, would generate over 21,000 jobs.”
In the meantime, LAX is installing touchless kiosks, temperature screening, and deep cleaning technology to ensure the safety of travelers – and in an effort to reduce anxiety around air travel.
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