LOS ANGELES, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Visitors pumped an all-time high 23.9 billion U.S. dollars directly into the economy of the Los Angeles County on the U.S. west coast in 2018, generating a record 36.6 billion dollars in total economic impact, said the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board on Tuesday.
Los Angeles welcomed 50 million visitors in 2018, setting records with 42.5 million domestic visitors and 7.5 million international visitors. Visitor spending in 2018 was 1.2 billion dollars higher than 2017's total, a 5 percent increase.
Total economic impact, including the induced and indirect benefits, increased 4.9 percent over the previous year, according to a new economic impact report released by Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board.
Tourism supported 534,258 jobs in Los Angeles County's leisure and hospitality sector, its highest total on record, employing one in every 8.5 workers in the county. Reaffirming the strength of the sector, tourism added 9,700 new jobs last year.
The report said that tourism contributed 2.9 billion dollars in state and local tax revenues last year, noting that every household in Los Angeles County would pay an additional 875 dollars in taxes without tourism.
"Tourism is an essential source of job creation and business activity across our region - and it helps make Los Angeles a global city and a center of economic growth and prosperity," said Mayor Eric Garcetti in a press release.
"From surpassing 50 million annual visitors in 2018 to preparing to welcome the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, travel and tourism will continue to power our city to new heights," he noted.
"Tourism is a powerful force in the growth and development of the Los Angeles economy, supporting jobs for our families and producing significant revenue that goes toward the betterment of our community," said Ernest Wooden Jr., president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board.
"Our efforts ahead will place a greater emphasis on ensuring tourism delivers even stronger benefits to our community as we work towards increasing total economic impact to the Los Angeles region," he added.
