“中美之间团队旅游的重启对洛杉矶的旅游复苏来说是一个重要的里程碑。中国游客对洛杉矶的旅游业至关重要毋庸置疑，中国市场在疫情之前曾是洛杉矶最大的海外旅游客源地。我们期待以促进‘人与人之间的交流’为基础，让洛杉矶市民与来自中国的尊贵客人建立更紧密联系。洛杉矶有如此多的新景点和体验，我们欢迎中国游客，再次造访我们的‘天使之城’正当时。“
洛杉矶会议及旅游局总裁兼首席执行官、世界旅游联盟（WTA）副主席 博亚当（Adam Burke）
What changes do you think will happen to the current longer visa application times? Will there be an immediate effect on the number and time of group visas?
Adam Burke：Visa wait times are a significant impediment to the full recovery of international visitation, and we work closely with Federal officials to address the critical issue. As a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel & Tourism Advisory Board, I have the opportunity to work directly with Consular staff and teams from both State and Commerce to discuss the importance of international visitation to LA’s economic recovery, and the need for innovative, immediate solutions to visa processing. There have been some improvements like waiving interview requirements, adjudicating visa applications through consulates in other countries, and weekend interview opportunities; however, U.S. Travel Association is continuing to keep this initiative as a priority, and we remain hopeful that the situation will continue to improve.
目前签证申请预约时间较长，未来预计这方面是否可能有所改善？这对团签的数量和申请时间是否有直接影响？
Adam Burke: 签证等待时间对国际旅游的全面复苏构成了障碍，我们也在积极的与联邦官员密切合作，以解决这一关键问题。作为美国商务部旅游顾问委员会的成员，我有机会直接与领事人员以及美国国务院和商务部的团队合作，讨论国际游客对洛杉矶经济复苏的重要性，以及对签证处理环节的创新、即时解决方案的需求。在这方面其实已经有了一些改进，比如（对一些申请者）签证免面试的政策，通过其他国家的领事馆审批签证申请和周末面试机会；然而，美国旅游协会（U.S. Travel Association）仍然将这一项目视为优先事项，游说相关决策机构为业界发声。我们相信未来等候时长会持续改善。
The number of flights between China and the US is still only 6.5 percent of the pre-pandemic level. For example, Air China's scheduled flight capacity in July this year is 4,664, while the figure in July 2019 was 99,501. And American Airlines' capacity last month was 4,641, compared with 33,759 four years ago. How do you expect international flights between the two countries to recover? And what about LA?
Adam Burke: Currently, the most significant influencing factor is the limited number of non-stop services. However, the encouraging news is that we are aware both governments have committed to expediting the restoration of flight routes. We anticipate the negotiation of a new agreement between the two governments is well underway. In the interim, travelers still have access to numerous cost-effective layover options.
As for Los Angeles, before the pandemic, we had approximately 110 non-stop flights per week between China and the United States. The decision of major airlines from both countries to choose Los Angeles as a hub was the result of comprehensive assessments of factors such as flight duration, route network, infrastructure, and passenger demands. Los Angeles' advantages in these aspects have become even more prominent since the pandemic ended. We are confident that Los Angeles' position as the premier Asia-Pacific gateway in the United States remains as strong as ever.
What is particularly exciting is that United Airlines has announced plans to further expand its network in the Asia-Pacific region, starting with the launch of a direct route between Hong Kong and Los Angeles scheduled for end of October.
中美之间的航班数量仍然只有疫情前水平的6.5％。例如，今年7月，国航的定期航班座位数为4,664，而2019年7月这一数字为99,501。而美国航空公司上个月的航班座位数为4,641，而四年前为33,759。您如何预期两国之间的国际航班的恢复？到洛杉矶的又如何呢？
Adam Burke: 目前，最显著的影响因素是有限的直飞航班数量。然而，令人鼓舞的消息是，两国政府都承诺加快恢复航线。我们急切期待两国政府之间迅速达成新协议的谈判。在此期间，旅行者仍然可以选择多种经济实惠的中转选项。
关于洛杉矶，在疫情爆发前，每周约有110个直飞航班往返中国14座主要城市。两国主要航空公司选择洛杉矶作为枢纽机场的决定，是充分考虑了航程时长、航线网络、基础设施和乘客需求等多种因素的综合评估的结果。自疫情以来，洛杉矶在这些方面的优势变得更加突出。我们对于保持洛杉矶作为美国首要的亚太地区门户和枢纽的地位充满信心。
尤其令人兴奋的是，美国联合航空公司宣布其扩展计划已延伸至亚太地区，包括计划于十月底推出的香港至洛杉矶直飞航线。
As far as I know, LAX is getting so many upgrades as a result of a $15 billion capital improvement program since the pandemic. What are some of the facilities and experiences that you think Chinese travelers and tourists in particular will enjoy and want?
Adam Burke: The upcoming completion of the Automated Passenger Mover, anticipated for next year, will prove to be an incredibly convenient asset for travelers navigating within the LA terminals. This innovative facility will also facilitate seamless connections to public transportation options leading to Downtown. It's worth noting that the cutting-edge West Gates at the Tom Bradley International Terminal have been operational for the past two years, further enhancing the overall travel experience at LAX.
The upgrades to check-in, security screening, and baggage retrieval, as well as the airside connectors at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, will provide significant convenience to passengers, including those from China.
据我所知，自疫情爆发以来，洛杉矶国际机场（LAX）已经进行了150亿美元投资的全面升级改造计划。您认为未来到访的中国游客尤其会喜欢和体验到哪些方面的设施？
Adam Burke: 即将于明年完成的自动旅客捷运系统将为在洛杉矶机场内部流动的旅客提供极大的便利。这一创新设施还将有助于旅客无缝连接到通往市中心的公共交通系统。值得注意的是，先进的汤姆·布莱德利国际航站楼西翼航站在过去两年里已经投入运营，进一步提升了LAX的总体旅行体验。
汤姆·布莱德利国际航站楼的办理登机手续、安全检查和行李领取设施的一系列升级，以及路侧通道现代化项目，将为旅客提供显著的便利，包括往返于中国的旅客。
As group tours resume, what's your plan to work with Chinese travel agents and OTAs to promote marketing?
Adam Burke: Over the past three years, we've been compelled to slow down due to the pandemic, but this period has also granted us ample time for reflection and planning. Our team remained intact, consistently maintaining connections with industry peers.
Leveraging this period of quietude, we've meticulously organized our resources and refined our platform. Presently, all our assets and content are consolidated within a mini-program on WeChat called "Angel Energy Replenishment Station". If industry partners require information about Los Angeles or specific travel routes, everything is conveniently available on this platform. In English, it's referred to as a "Trade Marketing Hub." Moreover, trade partners can access desired videos, images, a repository of Points of Interest (POI) knowledge Bank, and the comprehensive Angels Academy, which over 25,000 industry professionals have already engaged with.
In the future, we are committed to further enhancing our marketing hub, aimed at assisting both industry partners and Online Travel Agencies (OTA) in designing products and routes tailored to the preferences of Chinese tourists. We will proactively organize diverse training programs to inspire a growing number of professionals to develop a deep affinity for Los Angeles and become true experts on the city.
随着团队旅游的重启，洛杉矶旅游局将如何与中国旅行社和在线旅行社合作推广市场呢？
Adam Burke: 在过去的三年里，由于疫情，我们不得不放慢了脚步，但这段时间也为我们提供了充足的时间来反思和规划。我们保留了完整的团队，不间断地与业界伙伴保持联系。
利用这段相对平静的时期，我们精心整理了资源并优化了我们的平台。目前，我们的所有资源和内容都集中在微信的一个小程序中，名为“天使能量补给站”。如果行业合作伙伴需要有关洛杉矶的或特定旅游路线的信息，这个平台上都可以方便地找到。在英文中，它被称为“一站式营销聚合平台”。此外，合作伙伴也可以在此获取所需的视频、图片、兴趣点知识库，以及完整学习“天使成长计划”，目前已经有超过25,000名业界伙伴参与其中。
未来，我们致力于进一步完善我们的营销平台，旨在帮助行业合作伙伴和在线旅行社根据中国游客的偏好设计产品和路线。我们将积极组织各种培训项目，激发越来越多的专业人士对洛杉矶产生深厚的情感，成为真正的城市旅游专家。
Are there any plans to promote MICE marketing this year? Which partners will you work with? Or what industries do you think have great potential?
Adam Burke: Yes, reestablishing partnerships with major US and China RTOs will be critical, along with incorporating programming efforts and tradeshow participation. Based on the market, we would deploy targeted prospecting for industries like healthcare/medical, pharma, biotech, automotive, education, direct sales, hi-tech, logistics, food products, entertainment, financial services, and fashion industries.
有计划在今年推广会展奖励旅游业务吗？您将与哪些合作伙伴合作？或者您认为哪些行业具有巨大潜力
Adam Burke: 是的，重新建立与美国和中国主要RTO（地接社）的合作关系将至关重要，同时还需要结合一些项目和行业展会。根据市场情况，我们将针对医疗保健、制药、生物技术、汽车、教育、直销、高科技、物流、食品产品、娱乐、金融服务和时尚等行业进行有针对性的潜在客户开发。
LA has spared no effort over the past three years to prepare for today's reopening. Could you highlight what you have achieved during these difficult times?
Adam Burke: LA Tourism is the only U.S. destination marketing organization (DMO) that has maintained a continuous presence in China before, during and after the pandemic. Additionally, over the past three years, we consistently maintained trade outreach, updated RTOs on destination product offerings, enhanced internal travel trade tools and publications, and continued conversations with airlines to support air service resumption into LAX. Staying connected to the market demonstrates how vitally important China is for LA’s international tourism recovery.
在过去的三年里，洛杉矶为今天的重新开放付出了巨大的努力。您能着重阐述一下在这段艰难时期内所取得的成绩吗？
Adam Burke: 洛杉矶旅游局是唯一一个在疫情前、疫情期间和疫情后都在中国保持持续投入的美国目的地营销机构（DMO）。此外，在过去的三年里，我们始终保持与同业的联系，向地接社更新目的地产品，加强优化内部的同业工具，保持与航空公司对话，以支持重新开通到洛杉矶国际机场（LAX）的航班服务。与中国市场和业界不间断的联系也彰显了中国对于洛杉矶的国际复苏的重要性。
Los Angeles is one of the most popular American destinations before the pandemic. What new attractions and activities do you recommend for the long-awaited Chinese travelers and tourists in the coming months?
Adam Burke: Los Angeles is an ever-evolving destination full of fresh concepts and new experiences to discover. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning friend, the City of Angels has seen countless exciting new offerings emerge in recent years. Across the region, new places to stay, award-winning dining experiences, vibrant attractions, advanced infrastructure and more make up “LA 2.0” offering all-new places to explore. Some notable openings over the coming months include:
Los Angeles continues to earn top culinary accolades for its evolving and diverse culinary scene- winning the highest number of awards in the 2023 James Beard Awards of any city.
The MICHELIN® Guide California features 217 Los Angeles restaurants including 25 with one or more MICHELIN Stars and 4 Bib Gourmand recognitions, underscoring the city’s status as one of the world’s leading dining capitals. Trending culinary neighborhoods include Thai Town, Culver City, Highland Park, and Downtown LA.
DineLA celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2023 and will host Restaurant Week from October 6-20, 2023.
Level 8 is a new multi-dimensional dining, drinking, and entertainment concept from Houston Hospitality located within the new AC/Moxy hotel. The concept will feature eight different venues including a piano bar and jazz lounge, poolside carousel bar, and unique eateries. (Opening September 2023)
A new sports arena called Intuit Dome is coming to LA and will be home to the LA Clippers – the 18,000-seat and $1.2 billion arena is a basketball fan’s dream with private courtside cabanas, backstage bungalows, loft suites, a public plaza, concert stage, and retail shops. (Opening 2024)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will debut the APM – Automated People Mover – a 2.25-mile electric train that will shuttle passengers between six stations providing easy access to LAX's terminals, increasing efficiency, and enhancing the guest experience. (Opening 2024)
The arts and culture offerings in LA:
Pacific Standard Time (PST) Art: Art & Science Collide will open at the Getty and be the most far-reaching PST Art iteration to date. The exhibitions will bring together cultural, educational, and scientific institutions large and small to offer a global panorama of the interplay between art and science, past and present. The programming topics range from biotechnology to sustainable agriculture, and from ancient cosmologies to Indigenous sci-fi. (Opening Fall 2023)
A stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard running through South L.A. will be transformed into Destination Crenshaw, a $100 million outdoor art and culture experience located in the heart of Black Los Angeles. This thriving commercial corridor will be linked by architecturally stunning community spaces and pocket parks, hundreds of newly planted trees, and over 100 commissioned works of art, where visitors and locals can experience the most dynamic expression of Black American culture in the United States. (Opening February 2024)
The Natural History Museum is set to debut a major $75 million transformation – a project called NHM Commons – which will include an indoor-outdoor wing and adds 60,000 sq. ft. of space to the museum. The project is intended to better connect the museum with the community and is being designed by LA-based Frederick Fisher & Partners and Mia Lehrer’s Studio-MLA. (Opening 2024).
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is debuting a new project, the David Geffen Galleries, designed by Peter Zumthor. The $750 million new facility is a two-story building with 350,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space. (Opening late 2024)
Where to Stay: Los Angeles is set to welcome many new hotels in 2024 with 17 new projects adding 2,340 rooms, including Whisky Hotel Hollywood (July 2024) and Hyatt Hotel Neu – Hollywood (Jan. 2024).
洛杉矶在疫情前是全美最受欢迎的目的地。在未来数月里，有哪些新景点、新活动可以推荐给备受期待的中国游客？
Adam Burke: 洛杉矶是一个不断发展、充满全新概念和全新体验的目的地。无论您是初次来访还是再次造访，近年来洛杉矶都涌现出无数令人兴奋的新体验。在整个地区，全新的住宿选择、屡获殊荣的餐饮体验、充满活力的景点、更先进的基础设施等都构成了“洛杉矶2.0”，提供了全新的探索和体验。以下是未来几个月内的一些值得业界伙伴特别关注的信息：
• 洛杉矶的多元化美食美酒不断发展，持续赢得顶级烹饪奖项，2023年再获詹姆斯·比尔德奖，成为获得该奖项最多的城市。
• 米其林指南加州版收录了217家洛杉矶餐厅，其中有25家获得了米其林一星或二星餐厅，以及4个“餐盘奖”认可，彰显了洛杉矶作为世界顶级餐饮之都的地位。流行的美食区包括泰国城、卡尔弗城、高地公园和洛杉矶市中心。
• 洛杉矶美食节DineLA在2023年迎来了其15周年纪念，将于2023年10月6日至20日举办餐厅周活动。
• Level 8是一个位于AC/Moxy酒店内的源自休斯顿酒店业的全新多维度餐饮、饮品和娱乐品牌，将提供包括钢琴酒吧和爵士乐酒廊、池畔旋转酒吧、独特的餐厅等八个不同场所。（将于2023年9月开业）
• 洛杉矶国际机场（LAX）将推出自动旅客捷运系统（APM），这是一条2.25英里/3.6公里长的电动列车线，将在预设的六个站点之间往返运输旅客，为旅客提供前往LAX各航站楼的便捷通道，提高效率，增强旅客体验。（将于2024年开通）
名为直觉穹顶的全新体育场即将落户洛杉矶，这里也将成为洛杉矶快船队的新主场，这个拥有18000个座位，耗资12亿美元的体育场是篮球迷的梦想，设有私人包厢、后台庭院房、阁楼套房、公共广场、音乐会舞台和零售商店。（将于2024年开放）
洛杉矶的艺术和文化方面的全新体验：
• “太平洋标准时间”（PST）艺术：艺术与科学碰撞将在盖蒂博物馆开展，是
至今为止最具影响力的PST艺术活动。展览将集合各种大大小小的文化、
教育和科学机构，以全球视角呈现艺术与科学、过去与现在之间的相互关
系。展览主题涵盖生物技术、可持续农业、古代宇宙学以及土著科幻等。
（将于2023年秋季开幕）
• 洛杉矶南部的克伦肖大道将被改造成“克伦肖商业广场”，这是一个耗资1亿 美元的户外艺术与文化体验，位于洛杉矶非裔美国人地区的中心地带。这个繁荣的商业走廊将通过建筑风格独特的社区空间和口袋公园相连接，种植了数百种植物，也有100多件艺术作品展出，让游客和当地居民可以在美国体验到最具活力的美国黑人文化。（将于2024年2月开放）
• 自然历史博物馆计划进行一项价值7500万美元的重大改造项目，名为NHM Commons （自然博物馆大堂），将包括室内外楼群，为博物馆增加了6万平方英尺/5500平米的空间。该项目旨在更好地将博物馆与社区联系起来，由洛杉矶的弗雷德里克·费舍尔与合伙人和Mia Lehrer's Studio-MLA事务所设计。（将于2024年开放）。
洛杉矶县立艺术博物馆（LACMA）将推出新项目——大卫格芬画廊（David Geffen Galleries），由Peter Zumthor设计。这座耗资7.5亿美元的新设施是一座两层楼的建筑，拥有35万平方英尺/32，500平米的展览空间。（将于2024年底开放）
住宿推荐：洛杉矶将在2024年迎来许多新酒店，共计17个新项目，新增2340间客房，包括威士忌好莱坞酒店（2024年7月开业）和好莱坞纽伊凯悦酒店（2024年1月开业）
I really think there are several reasons to be optimistic. Could you give us an expected number of Chinese visitors to LA by the end of this of this year.
Adam Burke: It's impossible to overstate the importance of Chinese tourism to Los Angeles, a market that was the number one source of overseas travel prior to the pandemic. 2023 Visitation from China to Los Angeles is expected to be around 460,000.
我确实认为有许多理由可以保持乐观态度。您能告诉我们预计到今年年底，洛杉矶的中国游客数量将达到多少人次吗？
Adam Burke: 中国游客对洛杉矶的旅游业至关重要性是毋庸置疑的，该市场在疫情之前曾是洛杉矶最大的海外旅游来源地。预计到2023年底，中国游客访问洛杉矶的数量将达到约46万人次。
