As part of some 5,000 delegates from more than 65 countries, including 250 journalists , we sit starstruck in the humongous West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center as we eagerly await the arrival of lunch keynote speaker California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to close this year’s premier international travel marketplace. At past 1, even those with a sweet tooth pass up a sinfully delicious dessert as all eyes are drawn to a hunk in black shades and black leather jacket making a grand entrance on his motorcycle, which he drives all the way to the stage. Wow! Is that Arnold Schwarzenegger? He does look like Arnold S.! Just then, the real Arnold Schwarzenegger, dapper in a brown suit, appears on stage and shakes the hand of his look-alike. (Wild applause from the house.)
"Thank you for changing the Constitution of the United States of America and I accept the nomination for president," quips the 57-year-old Austrian bodybuilder turned Hollywood star turned California governor. "I love everything about tourism and travel agents. The only bad experience I’ve had with travel agents was when they arranged a trip to Mars (recalling his movie Total Recall)."
The Hollywood legend, whose acting is often parodied, suddenly makes a slip, "The last time LA hosted a Pow Wow was in 1969 ... " The audience corrects the governor who gracefully redeems himself, "1996 – anyway, it was a long time ago. I don’t know if you remember back in those days when I was still an awardwinning actor; all right, an actor; all right, I was in movies, okay?"
(A collective guffaw from the crowd.) Then he gushes, "What a great Pow Wow huh? It’s fantastic! ... It’s great to see so many thousands and thousands of people here today, but I have to ask, ‘Where were you at my premiere opening of Hercules in New York? It could have gone through the roof. It went to the toilet because you didn’t show up!"
California’s No. 1 salesman finally makes his pitch: "Tourism promotes economic vitality ... I’m especially proud of all the great attractions we have in California. You know, what’s amazing is when I was a little kid, I was dreaming of coming to California. But of course, not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d be governor of this state and I’d be standing in front of you selling California. But I have to tell you it’s the easiest sell that I’ve ever had to make. California is the No. 1 travel destination in the US. We want to show every visitor that California is the vacationist gold mine. Anything that you can imagine happens right here. After all, we are Hollywood, we are the entertainment capital of the world. We also have magnificent mountains, deserts, coastlines ... California has literally something for everyone. And you never run out of things to do in our state – there’s hiking, kayaking." And he adds in jest, "Of course, if you’re a girly man, you can take a little walk on the beach."
This guy who travels all over California, sometimes on his trusty motorbike, knows whereof he speaks.
Says Billie Greer from the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, "He goes around, he’s wonderful at marketing the state of California and pointing out its attributes – where to surf, things to do and see, where else you can go where you can have the mountains and the ocean, etc."
Schwarzenegger goes on, "Where else can you go surfing in the morning, snow-skiing in the afternoon, golfing in the evening in a wonderful place in the middle of the desert? Nowhere else but California. It’s a visual feast. We also know how to relax, enjoy our food, wine, world-class hotels and friendly way of life. All these places, things to do – this is why people dream about coming to California. And there’ll always be new attractions, places to stay and things to do. I say to everyone all over the world: Come to California. Visit us. Come to where the action is. You will see what the excitement is all about. I can guarantee anyone who comes to California once that he will steal my line and say, ‘I’ll be back!’"
It’s a line that may as well be repeated by thousands of delegates who come to the Pow Wow year after year. "Once you’ve gone to one, you just want to keep going back," Filipino travel agents swear.
Every year, the travel industry awaits the staging of the Pow Wow with anticipation – and great expectations.
Consider these staggering figures: More than 1,000 US travel organizations from every region of the USA and representing all industry category components, and more than 1,500 international delegates and domestic buyers from more than 65 countries conduct business negotiations that generate close to $3 billion in future Visit USA travel.
"There are 62 sponsors working to host Pow Wow," says Mark Liberman, president and CEO of LA Inc.
Easily the journalists’ favorite sponsor this year is See’s Candies, which plies press delegates with cans and cans, and boxes and boxes of chocolates at the Press Room every day.
This year, host hotels include Holiday Inn City Center (home for five days to Filipino delegates, who were flown in by Northwest Airlines), Hyatt Regency Los Angeles, Los Angeles Marriott Downtown, Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, New Otani Hotel & Garden, Omni Los Angeles Hotel, Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Wilshire Grand Los Angeles Hotel, Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and The Roosevelt Hotel – Hollywood.
It’s not all work though for Pow Wow-ers – certainly not in LA where people work hard and play harder. This year, organizers have made sure Pow Wow participants get a taste of the art/culture/entertainment feasts that LA has to offer. After all, LA is touted as the cultural capital of the US. Thus, delegates are treated to a night at The New Hollywood, highlighted by a red carpet walk to the Kodak Theatre, home to the Academy Awards; Lights, Camera, Party! at Universal Studios; a little evening of hip hop and hot blues at the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, among others.
And how could anyone forget Lionel Richie, who wowed the delegates at the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex or the cast of Mamma Mia!, who sent the whole house dancing to their bouncy ABBA-inspired songs? Or those stirring excerpts from Lion King, which received roaring rounds of applause from the Pow Wow guests?
So don’t blame us if after only a day in LA, we already started seeing stars. Like, was that Alan Alda of the former TV hit series M*A*S*H who rode with us in our hotel elevator?
To cap a whole week of wows, one lucky buyer went home richer by $5,000 in American Express Travelers Cheques raffled off at the exciting draw. Two other lucky winners each grabbed $2,500, also in American Express Travelers Cheques.
Since the tragic 9/11, the thrust of the Us government and the travel industry has been to protect the country from terrorists without scaring away the tourists or "those who come in peace," as TIA’s Bill Norman puts it.
Says Rick Webster, director of government affairs for the Travel Industry Association of America, "Protecting our country is job No. 1, but it cannot come at the expense of yanking the ‘welcome mat’ for international visitors."
TIA has been working with the US Congress and the Administration to come up with what he calls "a fine balancing act."
Wow! Expect some good news soon!
So, shall we see Arnold Schwarzenegger’s LA? By the way, see you in New York for the International Pow Wow 2005!