The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (L.A. Tourism), the organization responsible for marketing and selling Los Angeles to travellers and meeting planners globally, has appointed Lisa Stewart UK and Ireland MICE Representative. In this role, Stewart will be responsible for building key account relationships and identifying new MICE business opportunities for the destination.

Stewart brings extensive MICE knowledge and experience to the destination having worked in sales roles with numerous hotel groups including Handpicked Hotels, Le Meridian, Radisson SAS, Intercontinental Hotel Group and Malmaison.

Francine Sheridan, Director, Europe and Middle East, L.A. Tourism, commented “L.A. benefits from substantial direct air service from the UK and together with great year-round weather, a vast array of diverse hotels, exciting venues options and the advantage of the same in-market language, L.A. is perfectly placed to host all levels of group events. Lisa has a high knowledge of the MICE sector and we’re excited to put her experience to work for Los Angeles.”

Last year, Los Angeles welcomed a record 42.2 million visitors from around the globe, making it one of the most visited destinations in the U.S.  Hotel occupancy set a record at 76.8 percent, and hotel rooms sold set a record at 27.2 million hotel room nights.

Ernest Wooden Jr., President and CEO of L.A. Tourism said “Los Angeles is the hot meetings and conventions destination in the U.S.  Fueling L.A.’s surging popularity as a meetings and conventions destination is the strong line-up of new hotels coming, and new private management and enhanced services at the Los Angeles Convention Center.”

Los Angeles has 10 new hotels currently under construction, with 2,135 rooms set for completion before the end of 2014. A total of 25 hotels are in various stages of planning, bringing 4,970 new hotel rooms by 2017. That includes several within a few blocks of the Los Angeles Convention Center, including the 900-room Wilshire Grand, a Residence Inn and a Courtyard by Marriott under one roof, and the hip new Ace Hotel.