Los Angeles Opens Tourism Office in China

California’s Los Angeles has become the first city in the world ever to get the green light for opening a tourism office in China. The city’s mayor opened the Beijing office last week in a ceremony attended by Chinese officials and a delegation of Los Angeles business and elected leaders.

LA INC., recognized as the official organization responsible for marketing Los Angeles tourism, said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the president of LA INC., Mark Liberman, formally opened the first city-level tourism office licensed to operate in China.

LA INC. said Mayor Villaraigosa and Mark Liberman met with the management of the China National Tourism Administration in cooperation with Chinese Consul General, Zhong Jian Hua, Chinese carriers and government officials over the course of the past year.

LA INC. disclosed that China is currently the fastest growing international visitor market to LA. According to the marketing agency, tourism analysts predict inbound travel from China to the US will expand by 46 percent between 2005 and 2008.