Council unveils 'We Love LA' tourism campaign, councilmembers urge visitors to support recovery

Councilmember Tracy Park introduced Los Angeles Tourism's new "We Love LA" global ad campaign during the City Council meeting, saying the campaign aims to support economic recovery after recent wildfires and to counter public misperceptions about the extent of regional damage.

"The campaign spotlights the magic, diversity, and energy that make LA extraordinary," Park said, noting tourism's economic role: the industry's hotels, restaurants and attractions support local businesses and generate visitor-tax revenue used for city services.

Doan Liu, the city's chief tourism officer, told the council that research from Visit California found many travelers wrongly believe 30 to 40% of the region was damaged, a misperception the campaign seeks to correct. "We need to correct this misconception in order to prevent more damage to our local economy," Liu said.

Bill Kahrs, senior vice president of brand and digital marketing for LA Tourism, said the campaign — which leans on Randy Newman's "I Love LA" as cultural reference — will launch after the Oscars and run in key domestic and international markets ahead of major upcoming events, including the Dodgers series in Tokyo and other large events on the calendar.

Councilmembers called the campaign a timely step to support businesses affected by the fires and urged residents and visitors to help by traveling to Los Angeles once it is safe to do so. The council screened a campaign teaser and an official commercial behind-the-scenes clip during the presentation.