Citadel Outlets, the only outlet mall in the western U.S. city of Los Angeles and a destination for more than 100,000 Chinese visitors last year, announced Tuesday the opening of the city's only California Welcome Center at the shopping center to enhance and enrich tourists' visit in Southern California.

 

Selected by the California Office of Tourism and Visit California, a tourism related nonprofit organization, as one of 18 official California Welcome Centers, the information hub is located at the shopping center's customer service center and will provide tourists and local residents with personalized travel recommendations and informed suggestions on how to explore all that California has to offer.

 

The mission of each of the California Welcome Centers scattered throughout the western U.S. state is to enable all visitors to have the best experience possible. Each one is staffed with personal travel concierges, knowledgeable experts who are ready to provide information.

 

"With a record-breaking 50 million people visiting L.A. each year for its unrivaled offers of sunshine, world-class attractions and Hollywood glamour, we are excited to add a multi-functional tourist information hub to the welcoming experience," said Cynthia Schmitt, director of international sales and marketing of Citadel Outlets.

 

Located near downtown L.A., Citadel Outlets has more than 130 brand name stores that attracted many travelers from China and other countries.

 

"China is our number one international visitor market at Citadel Outlets," said Clara Tsang, director of public relations of Citadel Outlets, noting that more than 100,000 Chinese visitors shopped at Citadel Outlets in 2018. Los Angeles received a record 1.2 million visitors from China in 2018, according to Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.

 

"Some of our stores also accept AliPay and Wechat Pay," said Tsang, noting that the outlet mall will offer more services to Chinese shoppers.