Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board has announced an expanded role for its Regional Director, Australia/New Zealand, Craig Gibbons, who will now oversee Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.Gibbons has held the Sydney-based role since 2014, prior to which he had spent time as the Commercial & Trade Executive, Southeast Asia & Australia for VisitBritain and held the role of Australia Country Manager for Visit Indonesia.In his expanded capacity, Gibbons will develop and support air service for Los Angeles International Airport, design a robust destination training program for the travel trade utilising the L.A. Insider program and attend key industry trade shows in the region.In 2018, Los Angeles welcomed 130,800 visitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, a figure that was up 5% year-on year.“Southeast Asia continues to be an expanding source-market for travel to the United States and we are keen to increase and support airlift from the region,” said Kathryn Smits, Vice President, Tourism for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.“As Craig has developed great familiarity with and relationships in this market over the course of his tenure as our Regional Director, Australia/New Zealand, it was a natural progression to dedicate more efforts to attracting visitors from Southeast Asia and have him lead the charge,” Smits said.“Los Angeles is home to a large Southeast Asian resident population and the city also has strong economic ties to this region. I look forward to building upon these destination strengths to increase desire for the Los Angeles experience,” Gibbons remarked.Want to be in the luxury travel know? Subscribe to our free eNewsletter here to keep up to date with everything in the luxury travel industry.
