Top attractions, hotels unite to promote Hollywood to out-of-town tourists

A coalition of Hollywood tourism boosters plans to kick off a promotional campaign Tuesday to draw visitors to celebrate several milestones and attraction openings taking place in 2010.

A coalition of Hollywood tourism boosters plans to kick off a promotional campaign Tuesday to draw visitors to celebrate several milestones and attraction openings taking place in 2010.

The Visit Hollywood 2010 campaign, to be announced in New York, represents the first time in more than a decade that Hollywood’s top attractions and hotels have united to promote Hollywood to out-of-town tourists.

“What I hope to do is to work together to make the destination itself more compelling,” said Eliot Sekular, a spokesman for Universal Studios Hollywood, a partner in the campaign.

The effort comes as the travel and tourism industries begin to show signs of rebounding from the worst economic recession in a generation.

The campaign will highlight several significant events, including anniversaries and the opening of a handful of hotels and attractions.

For example, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the 70th anniversary of the Hollywood Palladium theater; and the 25th anniversary of the Rock Walk, a rock music tribute along Sunset Boulevard.

“2010 is a great year for Hollywood,” said Carol Martinez, a spokeswoman for LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s the perfect moment to showcase those particular things.”

Martinez and Sekular said the campaign is in an early phase and the supporters have yet to adopt a budget to spread the word. The group plans to offer coupons and discounts to visitors, they said.

The effort will be announced when the California Travel and Tourism Commission meets Tuesday with travel and lifestyle writers to promote the Golden State. Tourists who visit Hollywood this year can attend one of several events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Walk of Fame, the 18-block sidewalk tribute along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.

Universal Studios Hollywood plans this summer to unveil a 3-D King Kong to replace the mechanical ape that was destroyed in a fire at the theme park in 2008.

Last year the wax-figure attraction Madame Tussaud’s opened a 40,000-square-foot facility on Hollywood Boulevard, next to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Madame Tussaud’s celebrates Chinese New Year this month by adding wax figures of martial arts movie stars Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.

“A lot of cool things will occur in the next 12 months,” said Jim McPartlin, general manager of W Hotel Hollywood, the $350-million hotel complex that opened last month.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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