JANUARY 30, 2025
At the beginning of 2025, several new laws went into effect relating to the food and restaurant industry.
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JANUARY 30, 2025
On January 28, Los Angeles tourism leaders took the stage at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit to send a message that the city remains open for business. Geoff Freeman, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said the next 10 years are poised to be a "mega decade of opportunity" for California tourism, anchored by major global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
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JANUARY 29, 2025
Keanu Reeves and Bette Midler have reportedly joined others in supporting Stay in L.A., a new campaign aimed at keeping more Hollywood production in the Los Angeles area in light of the region’s recent wildfires. Stay in L.A. is asking California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the California State Legislature, and the city council to join forces in working on passing measures to incentivize entertainment production in the city
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JANUARY 28, 2025
Governor Newsom’s recent executive order extending hotel stays for Los Angeles fire evacuees and first responders until March 8, 2025, has highlighted the critical role of the travel and hospitality industry during emergencies. The decision to involve hotels in addressing housing shortages demonstrates the importance of leveraging existing resources to manage crises effectively
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JANUARY 13, 2025
Yesterday, Governor Newsom asked legislative leaders to approve at least $2.5 billion in response to the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles County. “California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger — including billions in new and accelerated state funding so we can move faster to deliver for the thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods in these firestorms,” Newsom said in a statement.
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JANUARY 13, 2025
The National Weather Service has warned of “particularly dangerous” weather approaching Southern California this week—especially today, when wind gusts could reach 65 mph. LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone says they’re better prepared this week, but warned that the strong winds could once again prevent airplanes from fighting blazes from above.
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JANUARY 13, 2025
The IRS has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in Southern California affected by the wildfires. The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area.
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JANUARY 12, 2025
On Sunday, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to suspend some environmental permitting and review requirements for Los Angeles residents planning to rebuild in the wake of recent fires. By the time all the damage is assessed, the fires are expected to constitute one of the costliest wildfire disasters in U.S. history.
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JANUARY 10, 2025
Last week, Governor Newsom’s office laid out its vision for the FY 2025-26 state budget. With the devastating fires continuing to burn in Los Angeles and President-elect Donald Trump preparing to take office this month, the budget could require significant changes before it’s finalized in late June.
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JANUARY 9, 2025
The destructive fires in Los Angeles will further strain the insurance market and worsen the financial position of California’s insurer of last resort—the FAIR Plan. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said that “of course this is going to complicate an already complicated market.”
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JANUARY 6, 2025
Last year, San Francisco's visitor industry hit its lowest point since the pandemic, but insiders say that 2025 will be the start of a comeback. Plus, a string of high-profile sporting events is on the horizon this year, including the NBA All-Star Game in February, NCAA March Madness men's basketball games in March, and the Laver Cup tennis tournament in September—all of which will put San Francisco in the spotlight and help reshape perceptions
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JANUARY 2, 2025
Airbnb has reshaped global travel, providing more than just a place to stay; it’s become a key player in cultural and live event-driven experiences. Airbnb leverages cultural relevance through influencer partnerships, working with big names like Doja Cat, Kevin Hart, and Barbie.
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DECEMBER 16, 2024
The 2025 Wave Season is expected to be exceptionally strong for the cruise line industry, with a record-breaking number of global passenger numbers expected. Some forecasts indicate a 20% increase in cruise line passengers in the year ahead—exceeding 30 million for the first time ever. Wave season in the cruise line industry typically begins in January and continues through the end of March, but cruise lines began launching deals even earlier last year, with some beginning promotions as early as November during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
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DECEMBER 6, 2024
Last week, fear, anxiety, and confusion swept across the West Coast when a rare tsunami warning was issued for parts of Northern California following a 7.0 earthquake off the shore of Eureka. While tsunamis are rare for the West Coast, they do happen.
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DECEMBER 4, 2024
The skyrocketing cost of living is a core concern of many Californians. By expanding housing supply in transit-rich job centers like Berkeley, the initiative's authors believe they can enable more people to live close to work, reduce emissions, and advance our climate goals.
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DECEMBER 4, 2024
Last month’s U.S. jobs report shows the restaurant and hotel sectors experienced a sharp increase in available positions. The total number of U.S. job openings rose to 7.7 million in October—up 5% from 7.4 million in September—signaling that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled.
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DECEMBER 3, 2024
According to research, Americans with disabilities spent nearly $50 billion on travel this year. Accessibility is one of their biggest barriers: 81% face challenges on airlines, 84% at airports, and 74% at hotels.
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DECEMBER 2, 2024
At the kickoff of the new session, the California Legislature adopted rules that will reduce the number of bills that members of the state Assembly and Senate could introduce during each two-year session—from 50 to 35 in the Assembly and from 40 to 35 in the Senate. Legislators have mixed reactions about the idea of limiting the number of bills they can introduce.
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NOVEMBER 26, 2024
Mayor London Breed, outgoing mayor of San Francisco, made waves recently with a major policy shift: Before providing a shelter bed or any other services, city workers must first offer every homeless person they encounter a bus or train ticket to somewhere else. However, some activists worry they can be used coercively to move unhoused people out of sight instead of helping them.
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NOVEMBER 19, 2024
Big Tech and Big Oil drove a record-setting lobbying blitz this summer, spending nearly $168 million to influence state policymakers in just the third quarter of this year—up from the record-setting $131 million spent this spring.
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