LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism) has reorganized its meetings and convention sales organization to align staff by geographic market, expand industry specialization, and strengthen collaboration among hotels, venues, and destination partners.
The enhanced global sales & services structure is intended to provide meeting planners with a single connection to coordinated destination resources, hotel partners, and sector-specific expertise, according to LA Tourism.
“Meeting planners are looking for more than meeting space. They want strategic partners who understand their industries, can connect them with the right experiences, and inspire confidence that their event will succeed,” says Mario Thompson, chief sales officer. “By organizing our team around the markets we serve while deepening expertise in the industries driving future meetings demand, we’re making it even easier for planners to access the right expertise and unlock the full potential of Los Angeles for their meetings and events.”
The organization’s national sales directors will be assigned by geographic market and supported by industry specialists. The specialized sales focus includes technology, financial services, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, entertainment and sports, luxury travel, small meetings, and international meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions, or MICE.
Cory Abke Calara has been named senior director of destination sales. Calara will lead site-visit experiences for citywide opportunities and support hotel sales teams across all regions. The position will focus on coordinating hotel, venue, and destination partners around new business opportunities.
LA Tourism also named Malissa Fagan as senior director of group strategy and project management. Fagan will support customers through the Los Angeles Convention Center modernization period, as well as business retention, stakeholder coordination, and future bookings.
In addition, LA Tourism is expanding relationships with third-party meeting intermediaries and industry organizations, including the Professional Convention Management Association, Meeting Professionals International, and the American Society of Association Executives. It also plans to provide tailored strategies for full-service, luxury, lifestyle, boutique, and economy hotel partners.
The sales reorganization comes as Los Angeles prepares for a series of global sporting events and continues work on the convention center’s modernization, transportation improvements, hotel development, and other destination enhancements. The city recently hosted events connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is scheduled to host Super Bowl LXI and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.
“Our focus is on translating this momentum into meaningful business opportunities for our partners,” Thompson says. “With stronger market alignment, deeper industry expertise, enhanced destination collaboration, and a more intentional approach to customer engagement, Los Angeles is well-positioned for the next generation of meetings and events.”
