DIRECT FROM FAMOUS ANGELENOS,
TIPS FROM LOCAL CELEBRITIES ABOUT WHERE TO EAT, SHOP AND PLAY IN LA
AMONG INNOVATIONS IN DESTINATION’S NEW ONLINE RESOURCE

When in LA, everyone wants to travel like its famous locals.  Where do celebrities eat?  Where do stars go for fun? What are the trendiest shops, shows and nightclubs?

Today, the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism), unveiled discoverLosAngeles.com - a new global online resource for LA visitors and residents alike that answers these questions and more direct from celebrities and local personalities including Actors Holly Robinson Peete, “True Blood’s” Stephen Moyer, Dermot Mulroney, Lakers star Magic Johnson, Pro skater Tony Hawk, Musician Moby  and even Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among many more.  The site uses a map-based neighborhood approach to introduce the vibe of each area, from Downtown to the beaches and the valley – as well as where to eat, shop and play, and top activity suggestions from the stars:

• Aussie Chef Curtis Stone, host of popular TV show, “Top Chef Masters,” recommends the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades for its collection of Greek and Roman art and beautiful gardens. 
• “The Biggest Loser” host Alison Sweeney, heads to The Hollywood Bowl for date night. 
• American musician Moby visits the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for its architecture, Hollywood history, and special events like concerts and film screenings. 
• Magic Johnson shares Beverly Hills restaurant, Via Alloro, for Italian food.
• Lead Mars Flight Director David Oh, who lives life on the red planet’s time, has suggestions for “night owls” like sushi at Pasadena restaurant Wokcano when looking for dinner at 2a.m.

“Travel is becoming a truly social activity and today’s traveler increasingly wants helpful, general destination information and insider information to ensure the trip of a lifetime.  So, we combined the best aspects of a travel guide with the best aspects of talking to a local. Our locals just happen to be famous and worldwide trend-setters,” said Don Skeoch, LA Tourism’s chief marketing officer.

DiscoverLosAngeles.com was designed to be the definitive one-stop hub for comprehensive, interactive and current information about all that Los Angeles offers in a variety of lifestyle categories including culture, sports, attractions, nightlife and dining.

Some of its special features include:

• An Experience Builder – Users can add any activity, including recommendations from the celebrities, to a “My LA Bucket List,” with a Google Maps feature indicating where selected activities are in relation to each other.
  
  
• Social Interaction – Social sites Facebook and Twitter are incorporated in to the site allowing real-time sharing and feedback, along with online services such as hotel booking capabilities and Open Table for restaurant reservations.
  
  
• A robust events calendar–A comprehensive and curated special events calendar integrating event feeds from Ticketmaster and Experience LA, as well as user- submitted events organized by interest and covering everything happening in LA from sports to entertainment to arts and culture.
  
  

• Virtual Tours – For the important meetings and conventions industry, meeting professionals can explore detailed 3-D tours of the Los Angeles Convention Center and L.A. Live entertainment complex from their office to better understand the event space options

The discoverLosAngeles.com launch is the latest installment in a new global destination branding campaign by LA Tourism, which began this spring with the rollout of a new destination logo that has Los Angeles written in a script designed to resemble a celebrity signature.  In the first quarter of 2013, an integrated marketing campaign will launch in select markets with television, print, digital, PR and promotional components. 

Los Angeles enjoyed record tourism visitation in 2011, welcoming 40.4 million visitors from 90 countries, making it one of the most visited destinations in the U.S., and with the second highest share of U.S. overseas visitation (13.3 percent).  The destination is projected to set another visitation record in 2012, with 41.3 million visitors.