The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism), the travel industry sales and marketing organization for Los Angeles globally, has exceeded one million Facebook fans,  becoming the first U.S. convention and visitors bureau (CVB) to hit this milestone.

The page, which launched in May 2009, has surpassed other popular U.S. cities including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Orlando and New York City, according to a commissioned study conducted by Sparkloft Media based in Portland, Oregon.

The Los Angeles Facebook page, facebook.com/LosAngelesFan, is a resource for visitors and locals alike to discover Los Angeles events, attractions, hotels and hidden gems. LA Tourism showcases a diverse cross-section of LA experiences via Facebook, from epic performances under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl to restaurants and bars in LA’s eclectic neighborhoods. Fans use the page to share their Los Angeles experiences and recommend their favorite things to do.

The hallmark of the page is the Photo of the Day program, which showcases user-generated images of Los Angeles from the glowing lights of Downtown to the excitement of Santa Monica Pier. Fans have submitted more than 30,000 images for consideration in the Photo of the Day program since its launch in 2010.

“Job #1 for any destination is to inspire consumers to visit and social media is a great platform for this,” said Bill Karz, LA Tourism’s director of digital marketing. “Our user-generated content approach has been popular with fans and followers, providing the opportunity for them to share their photos, experiences and recommendations with each other. They inspire and build awareness for all that the destination offers in ways we could never do on our own.”

The Facebook achievement follows last month’s unveiling of the new discoverLosAngeles.com, the definitive one-stop hub for comprehensive, interactive and current information about all that Los Angeles offers. The site uses a map-based neighborhood approach to introduce the vibe of each area from Downtown to the beaches and the Valley. Local celebrities like Magic Johnson and “True Blood’s” Stephen Moyer offer an insider’s perspective to the city’s diverse attractions.

LA Tourism is also active on a variety of other social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, YouTube and Pinterest.

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