West Hollywood unaffected by fire devastation, says tourism chief

Go back to the e-newsletter

West Hollywood Tourism & Travel Board is getting the message out that it is open for business, having escaped the recent destruction caused by wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area in January this year. On a recent visit to Sydney, Visit West Hollywood President and CEO Tom Kiely stressed that, despite concerns around damage, the popular tourism destination is absolutely welcoming visitors. “Everything really in greater LA is all completely fine,” he said. “Fortunately, we did not suffer any of the consequences, as much as we have empathy and sympathy for those that had losses during the fire. “None of the infrastructure that our visitors would experience in Los Angeles and West Hollywood has been affected at all. So you can come to West Hollywood, come to LA and really know you can enjoy everything.”

---

---

It’s an important message to get out, he explained, especially with the Australian market for West Hollywood ranking in the top three international visitor markets. As of 2024, this equates to about 80,000 visitors annually, representing around US$44m in annual spend. Kiely was accompanied by a delegation of key hoteliers from West Hollywood including the Mondrian Los Angeles, the West Hollywood Edition and Sunset Marquis among others. The tourism board also underlined the role tourism plays in supporting local businesses and communities in the aftermath of the wildfires.

Go back to the e-newsletter