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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Mayor Eric Garcetti signed an executive directive today to create the Los Angeles Tourism Cabinet to support tourism and hospitality sector growth in Los Angeles.
``Los Angeles is a global destination, and if we want our economy to fully recover from the pandemic, we need to get this industry back on its feet,'' Garcetti said. ``Tourism and hospitality were hit hard over the last two years, and as we continue to safely welcome more people from across the country and world to Los Angeles, we need to make sure Angelenos benefit from that economic growth.''
The cabinet will consist of general managers of Los Angeles departments. Along with supporting the growth of Los Angeles' tourism and hospitality sectors, the directive is also aimed at implementing recommendations made in the city's Tourism Master Plan, which identified priorities for the city to close gaps and inefficiencies in its approach to tourism.
Doane Liu, executive director of the Los Angeles Tourism Department, will serve as the cabinet's chair and the chief tourism officer.
``I look forward to serving as the chief tourism officer and collaborating with the Tourism Cabinet to enhance the visitor experience while also improving the quality of life for Angelenos,'' Liu said. ``The Tourism Master Plan is a destination management plan that helps Los Angeles prepare for long-term growth in the number of visitors to the city, and I'm excited that the Tourism Cabinet will work with public, private and community stakeholders to advance the 22 recommendations in the Plan.''
According to the directive, the cabinet's responsibilities will include:
-- reviewing the Tourism Master Plan recommendations and developing a plan to implement the recommendations and identify funding
-- monitoring progress and performance against the Tourism Master Plan and adjusting the way it is implemented accordingly
-- working with public, private and community stakeholders during the process
-- collaborating with the executive director of the City Tourism Department on the plan's implementation
-- proactively considering city departments' initiatives, strategic plans, projects and proposals, and examining respective opportunities for and impacts on tourism and the visitor experience.
In 2019, Los Angeles' tourism and hospitality industry received about 50 million visitors, following 11 consecutive years of growth. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of visitors dropped to 26.9 million before increasing to 40 million in 2021.
Garcetti's order to create the Tourism Cabinet is his 33rd executive directive since taking office in 2013.