LA Tourism boss ‘cautiously optimistic’ about UK market growth

UK visitor numbers to Los Angeles are expected to “hold fairly level year on year”, according to the tourist board’s president and chief executive.

 

Speaking to Aspire, Adam Burke said: “There’s no question that, year on year, international visitation will be down a bit, but there are so many new demand drivers coming in the market that we’re still cautiously optimistic.”

 

Looking specifically at European markets, including the UK, Burke said he “honestly believes we’re going to hold fairly steady”.

 

This prediction is in line with other projections for the wider UK to US market, which is expected to grow in 2025 and 2026.

 

One reason for this, according to Francine Sheridan, LA Tourism’s regional vice-president for Europe and the Middle East, is that the UK market is “very resilient”. She said: “The UK will still go [to LA], and operators are telling us that’s the case.”

 

Sheridan described the city as “a very positive place” – something that Burke believes makes the destination more appealing for visitors.

 

He hailed LA as “one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive communities”, which has helped build “an affinity” for the region among travellers.

 

“In the state of the world today, you want to go someplace where you don’t just feel welcome, but actually embraced by the community,” he said.

 

Improvements in airlift from the UK to LA has also helped boost visitor numbers.

 

“We’re a gateway, so we have so much direct air service,” Burke said. “When we look at the UK market, air service has actually surpassed 2019 levels, so it’s very accessible.”

 

Sheridan added that there’s “more premium product” available, with an increasing number of business class seats available, which are “warranted and needed”.

 

Burke also said the private suites available at LAX for arrivals and departures provide “an incredible experience” for luxury travellers.

 

The number of upcoming sporting events being held in LA is also helping to boost the destination’s appeal.

 

“We have so much momentum because of things like the Fifa World Cup, NBA All-Star games and the US Women’s Open,” Burke said. “When it comes to hosting the Olympics [in 2028] and the World Cup [in 2026], LA is such a logical choice, as visitors from around the world feel incredibly at home here.”

 

There is also a raft of upcoming openings set to enhance the destination’s appeal for luxury travellers.

 

Expected to launch before the end of 2025, 25-room boutique property Hotel Lucile will be set in a converted church in Silver Lake, a neighbourhood particularly suited to clients who have “been to LA a few times but want to stay in an area that feels local to have a different kind of experience”.

 

Burke also said there’s a host of opportunities for luxury travellers who are looking for “something that is more bespoke”.

 

Examples include workout sessions with celebrity trainers at famed gyms such as Dogpound, intimate dining experiences at 12-seat restaurant Le Comptoir and tours of the “one-of-a-kind” Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the gallery curated by filmmaker George Lucas that’s set to open next year.

 

Picture: Shutterstock/frank_peters