Los Angeles welcomed a record number of tourists in 2012, boosted by Asian visitors
Photo Credit: The Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California. Flickr / Michelle
Skift Take
Los Angeles is in the prime position, literally, to benefit from the surge in Chinese travelers by serving as a starting to any trip in the United States.
Los Angeles enjoyed another banner year for tourism in 2012, when it welcomed 41.4 million visitors, surpassing the record set in 2011.
Last year's tourist total represents a 2.5% increase over the 40.4 million visitors in 2011 -- good news for the city's $16.5-billion tourism industry, according to the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.
Tourism is one of the region's largest industries, supporting 372,000 jobs in Los Angeles County.
"Los Angeles County's leisure and hospitality industry is one of the few that has regained all of the jobs and surpassed those positions lost in the recession,
