Fire-ravaged Los Angeles wants tourists to help the area recover and rebuild

As Los Angeles slowly begins to assess the damage caused by the recent wildfires, it is clear that rebuilding will take years and cost an astronomical amount of money. Some reports estimate the cost to be as high as $40 billion. Not to mention the risk of more fires remains strong as Santa Ana winds and dry conditions continue. Rain this weekend offers hope that the worst of the fires may be contained – although the rain could bring new challenges to the area.

In response to the ongoing vandalism, LA Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order on Jan. 21 ordering immediate cleanup of burned areas and reducing fire-related pollution to local stormwater, beach and seawater systems. The order also directs employees of the city’s public works department to clear and remove vegetation, climb mountains with reinforced concrete barriers, and lay down sandbags and debris in affected areas before the rains.

“With rain in the forecast, it is imperative that we take proactive measures to prevent further damage to the burned areas and to protect our waters and oceans from dangerous flows,” Bass said in a press release. “These communities have already endured unimaginable losses – we are taking action against further damage.”

The Eaton and Palisades fires killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 properties in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. According to the Associated Press, the Palisades fire is 61% contained and the Eaton fire is 87% contained as of Tuesday.

As city and county leaders begin the recovery process, tourism and travel officials have announced that the City of Angels wants and needs the support of tourists.

“Los Angeles has always been a beacon to the world — a place where dreams are born and stories from the silver screen to landmarks,” California president and CEO Caroline Beteta said in a statement to TPG. “One of the best ways to support the return of Los Angeles is to plan a trip.”

Like Maui after it faced devastating wildfires, Los Angeles is hoping that tourism can help spark economic recovery from this catastrophic event. Fire not only destroys homes and neighborhoods, but also local businesses.

“The city, with its famous landmarks and experiences – the Hollywood Sign, Universal Studios Hollywood, the Santa Monica Pier, the Getty and the Getty Villa, the Griffith Observatory and many others – remains intact and accessible to visitors from all over the world, ” said Beteta. . Of course, some wonder if it is the right time to visit this city so soon after the destruction.

Is now the right time to visit Los Angeles?

This is a difficult question. Just as Maui struggles to balance its vital tourism industry with the rebuilding needs of locals, LA must manage the crisis in a similar way.

Obviously, areas hit hard by fires, like the Pacific Palisades, should be off limits to visitors. Many residents have not been able to return to their homes to assess the damage; the last thing they or first responders need are strange visitors trying to get a closer look. The air quality is always poor in some parts of LA, so that is also something to consider before booking a trip.

However, many shops and restaurants have reopened in popular areas such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and West Hollywood. To highlight the urgency of keeping tourism alive and helping recovery efforts, city hotel and tourism officials issued an announcement on Jan. 21 are urging tourists not to cancel their travel plans.

According to their press release sent to TPG, more than 540,000 people work in the LA tourism industry in one way or another, and a large number of those workers may have been affected in some way by the wildfires. The influx of tourists and the money they spend helps them recover.

To give you an idea of ​​how important tourism is to the city’s psyche, nearly 50 million people will visit Los Angeles by 2023, contributing more than $40 billion to the local economy. Additionally, visitors in 2023 contributed $312 million in Transient Occupancy Tax revenue through their hotel stays.

What is open in Los Angeles?

As we mentioned earlier, many of the city’s attractions have reopened. Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures have both resumed studio tours of their Hollywood locations. Major theme parks such as Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and Knott’s Berry Farm have all resumed operations, as have the world-famous Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park (given the Hollywood sign).

Many museums – including the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, the La Brea Tar Pits, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures – are also active.

Speaking of the Oscars, the movie “Wicked” recently received 10 Academy Award nominations. If you’re in LA and want to see the touring production of the stage musical, it’s back in action at the Pantages Theater and runs through Feb. 2.

There are still a number of attractions that have not yet reopened, however. The Getty Museum in Los Angeles remains closed until Jan. 27. Meanwhile, the Getty Villa — which, despite being in the Pacific Palisades, escaped major wildfire damage — is closed until further notice. The popular Runyon Canyon and Will Rogers State Historic Parks are also closed.

How to help Los Angeles recover

One of the easiest ways to contribute to recovery efforts as a tourist is to give a little help to the local economy. Dine LA Restaurant Week continues from Jan. 24 to Feb. 7; You can find a list of participating restaurants and make reservations here. Every reservation at one of these restaurants will benefit the wildfire relief efforts put together by the American Red Cross.

Another easy way to contribute is to attend one of the fundraising events happening around town in the next few weeks. Discover Los Angeles has an extensive list of upcoming relief efforts on their website.

Is there anything else you need more? Volunteers. Other LA-based organizations in need of help include:

• Habitat for Humanity LA: Needs donations and volunteers to help wildfire survivors rebuild.
• LA Food Bank: Need more people to help local food bank feed thousands of people affected by the fires.
• LA Animal Services: Needs pet parents to help with the number of dogs and cats that have ended up in local homes since the fires started.

Many volunteer resources are available on the city’s official website.

We will keep this story updated as we get more information.