2011 - HIGH TIME FOR SAN FERNANDO VALLEY TOURISM

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY  - 2011

 

TOURISM IN THE VALLEY

      As the New Year began its long journey into the decade, the Daily News noted on Jan. 7^th, that More Visitors Come to L.A. – Spend Cash”. Anyone who cares about the economic well being of our vast city has to take encouragement from the article.

      This exciting news story goes on to state that “tourism rebounded last year (2010) with 25.7 million overnight visitors, an 8 percent jump from the year earlier.” (source LA Inc.) Over $13 billion was spent by these tourists – a 10.4% percent increase from 2010.  A huge portion of the city’s visitors came from overseas (5.5 million) which represented a whopping 20,7 % increase from last year. Tourist spending represents significant earnings for business, including souvenirs, hotel stays and visits to expected tourist attractions.

      Dozens of studies have been made and published about the economic impact cultural institutions have on tourism. No doubt the thousands of expected visitors to his new museum on Grand Street   has not been lost on the genius of the developer and philanthropist Eli Broad.

      The leadership of the fledgling Museum of the San Fernando Valley believes that a very significant portion of the dollars (or Euros) spent by visiting tourists can be secured for businesses and cultural organization in the San Fernando Valley, provided compelling reasons are presented to foreign and out-of-state American visitors to our city. 

      Bob Hope, San Fernando Valley resident - historic postcard - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - gift to The Museum from Gary Fredburg - 2011

      In 2009, The Museum began historic walking tours in North Hollywood and the Van Nuys civic core. It added a completely subscribed historic bus tour of Northridge and adjacent communities in 2010. The Museum also began its Speakers in Historic Places series last year. It co-sponsored with the Studio City Neighborhood Council, the 75^th Anniversary of Republic Pictures, which on the hottest day of the year brought out over 2,500 visitors.

      So many notables in entertainment, sports and industry have lived and continue to work and dwell in the Valley, that The Museum’s Notables Calendar has a major personality’s birthday for every day of the year. And, the celebrity project, based on the theme of the Valley Economic Alliance “Valley of the Stars”, has just begun. The Museum’s board believes that when this motto is fully developed people will come from far and wide to see the place that rightfully can call itself, the Center of the Creative Capital of the World.

      The Museum of the San Fernando Valley invites leaders from the business community, Chambers of Commerce, Neighborhood Councils, cultural organizations and civic-minded women and men to join in the effort to help build the vital “sense of place”. For the Valley, it makes dollars and sense.