IPW 2024 - the largest international inbound tourism show in the U.S.A.

IPW is considered the largest international inbound travel trade show, organized by the U.S. Travel Association and sponsored by Brand USA. IPW 2024 hosted over 5,700 delegates this year, a new record, including 2,000 buyers (tour operators/travel agents who buy elements like hotel stays, tours etc. for their clients from  U.S. suppliers (destinations, hotels, tour operators, outfitters, etc.)  and media (600) from nearly 70 countries.  Many countries from all over the world send their delegates, mostly tour operators/travel agents and some hand-picked journalists. The German delegation consisted of about 25-30 invited journalists in addition to buyers (a much larger group). Saturday Press Brunch and media tours took place as well as opening event for all participants (see blogpost before).

Sunday was so-called Media Day, pre-arranged appointments all day. Suppliers (destinations) were sitting at tables and journalists running around from one to the next 10-min.-appointment. It was exhausting. 

Lunch always tool place in a huge ballroom with entertainment, on Sunday: „Dogstar“ (an alternative rock band from California - photo below), on Monday we had Broadway Show presentations (original parts of cast flewn in from NYC!) sponsored by NYC Tourism and on Tuesday it was Ziggy Marley (the son of famous reggie legend Bob Marley) entertaining the crowds during lunch.

After appointments were over on Sunday, we gathered at „California Plaza“, where boothes of different Californian regions were set up, offering drinks, food and entertainment (and good breakfast, too!). Photo below was taken from the Moxy's high-up rooftop, where the next party took place.

 

We were invited to three events this evening: Pennsylvania, New York State and Great American West. The first two took place at the Moxy and the Grammy Museum in downtown, not far away from the convention center, on rooftop terraces: fingerfood and full bar, great views from above (photos below) - though a bit windy! -, but crowded and loud. 

Through downtown (photo) we then walked to the train station because the last event one took place a bit further out of town, in Little Tokyo, to the Boomtown Brewery - more casul and with more substantial food and good beer. It became late and we were exhausted when we made our way back to the hotel.

 

Monday and Tuesday were the days of press conferences (photos below), always half day, partly interesting and attractive with music bands playing (e.g. Tennessee/Chicago) and food being offered (San Antonio), partly boring. Grand finale was the press conference of Chicago, where the next IPW in 2025 will take place. The rest of each day was spent in the „Big Hall“, were the suppliers had set up their boothes/tables and were visited by buyers and media. We had a couple of appointments there as well, but mostly met with old friends and colleagues. 

 

 

For Monday evening, we had received tickets for a Dodgers baseball game in the evening. After a beer tasting and a wine reception in the convention center, another party, this time on invitation of New York City, on another rooftop bar at the Moxy Hotel (left photo) took place. Fancy setting, good food. 

Afterwards, we took the train and the stadium shuttle to get to Dodgers Stadium to watch the game. Long lines, took us about 45-60 min. to get there and back home. Five homeruns in total in just 3 innings!

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Tuesday we left the Convention Center a bit earlier to get packed and ready for tomorrow’s flight. Also, we were able to put in a quick visit to the Last Bookstore in downtown L.A. (10-15 min. walking) - one of our top-rated, favorite  bookstores in the U.S. (photos below). Afterwards we strolled  through downtown (discovered a new Kobe Bryant mural, too!) and to the Grand Central Market (photo), using the Angels Flight Railroad again.

 

 

In the evening IPW concluded with a final party at Universal Studios Hollywood. Busses brought participants to the studios where they were welcomed with big cheers. Rides were open, food at every corner, lots of entertainment, nice event! We spent time at the Simpsons, had a bite there, crossed through Harry Potter, Nintendo World and some other sections before we took the bus back to the hotel at 9 pm (photo from drive).

 

 

 

Famous Krusty Burger at the Simpsons

View from Universal Studios

 

Up again at 6:30 am to get an Uber to the Airport LAX. Traffic was bad, but not too bad, and, we made it in not quite an hour. Our plane departed on time to SFO (San Francisco), the photo shows the plane ascending out of L.A.,, great views of the "Ring of Fire", Mount Shasta on photo, too! Didn’t have too much time to spend in SF, our international flight left on time, in a Boeing 777-200 and landed on time in Munich. Back home.

L.A. - IPW starts

Sunday started out with the "German breakfast" (a gathering of the German Visit USA delegation), followed by Press Brunch at the Getty Museum in Brentwood Hills (left and below). Gorgeous museum, architecture by Richard Meier, fantastic location with spectacular views – just wished, it wouldn't have been so cloudy and gray on this day. 

There was food and drinks, a mariachi band (female) playing, some speeches, and the possibility to visit the exhibitions.

 

Lobby area

Photo exhibition

Mariachi band

View from the Getty

,,, and some speeches,,,

 

 

From there several tours for the journalists (600 in total during this year's show!) started and we were on the bus to the Dodgers Stadium tour. Tour itself was a bit careless, it was just a regular, not really exciting 1+ hour tour, no specials (though the team was there, practicing), no hotdogs. But, we'll be at a game on Monday!

 

World Series Trophy

Fernando Venezuela - one of the greates players ever (we saw him play in the 90ies)

Exhibitions of memorabilia

Back at the Convention Center at 3 pm, returned to our hotel and out again by bus at 6:30 pm to the big Opening Event at the Coliseum, the original Olympic Stadium from 1936 and 1984, which will be used again for the Olympics in 2028.

Nicely set up various food stands, but VERY crowded and long lines everywhere. At 9 pm Diana Ross gave a concert, but we left early, not so much into this 80 year old singer.

Los Angeles - Day 1

Woke up this Friday morning with a great view of Frank Gehry's Disney Concert Hall and the Broad Museum from our room (which has the big advantage that the window can be opened!). Hotel is conveniently located in downtown - or, rather: Bunker Hill - and Angel's Flight Railway is just around the corner.

We took the railroad down the hill to the Grand Central Market, where we got us donuts and coffee for breakfast at the Donut Man. In this market hall they offer lots of Mexican/Southern American options, too. It's located in Bunker Hill and when we had breakfast at a table outside, we noticed the first IPW sign:

 

After breakfast: business first. Had to register at the Convention Center (right photo) to get our media badges and to get organized. 

Afterwards, we took the train again to get to  "Santee Alley", part of the Fashion District, with a hodgepodge of Mexican vendors of all kinds, first of all selling all kinds of clothing. It's a colorful, vivid neighborhood, with mostly Spanish to be heard. 

 

 

 

 

 

Passing by a couple murals on our stroll through downtown:

Famous basketball player Kobe Bryant

After some shopping at Uniqlo in downtown (good deals!),  we headed back to the hotel by train to get prepared. By the way: public transport in L.A. is better than it's reputation - and, it's cheap: $ 5 for a day ticket! 

Passed the Broad Museum (below), the latest art museum in town, on our way to our first party (Chicago) lateron.