From the Pockets of Strangers : Economic Impacts of Tourism in Los Angeles and Five Competing Metropolitan Destinations

While the visitor industry is a key economic engine for Los Angeles, its lodging industry shows signs of structural weakness. Compared to the size of its visitor economy, LA's lodging inventory is only 62 percent of the national average. Compared to other cities with which it competes for tourism spending, LA's lodging industry serves a relatively small number of visitors given the size the economy. Its employment and revenue are underdeveloped relative to the size of the destination.Tourism accounted for 3.2 percent of LA's total industry output in 2002, making it a $21 billion market and generating roughly 180,000 jobs. Between 4 and 5 percent of Los Angeles residents are employed in tourism linked jobs, putting it above the national average but below Phoenix, San Francisco and Las Vegas.From the Pockets of Strangers studies the economic and employment impacts of tourism in general and the Lodging industry in particular in Los Angeles County compared to five other metropolitan destinations that constitute LA's competitive set: Las Vegas, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, and San Francisco. The purpose is to inform public policy about LA's standing as a destination for visitors, the economic benefits of tourism for lodging industry workers, and actions that can be taken to increase economic benefits from tourism