Tourism remains big business in the nation's capital, with the city bringing in nearly $10.2 billion from visitors, according to Destination DC, a tourism marketing group for the city. The group is now looking to big events to keep the momentum going.
Tourism remains one of the most lucrative businesses in the nation's capital, with Washington DC bringing in nearly $10.2 billion from visitors, according to Destination DC, the city's official tourism marketing organization. The organization is now looking to big events to keep the momentum going.
About 26 million people will visit the city in 2023, a 17% increase in tourism over 2022 and surpassing the previous record set in 2019, pre-pandemic, Destination DC announced Tuesday at the group's annual marketing outlook conference at the Washington Hilton.
“We're committed to attracting convention and leisure travel and are seeing very positive momentum as interest in Washington as a travel destination continues to grow,” said Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC.
The group launched an advertising campaign last year with the slogan “Only One DC” to attract domestic and international travelers, and plans to expand that message over the next 12 months with an emphasis on larger, D.C.-based events.
One of the big events will be the presidential inauguration in 2025. The last inauguration in 2021 had virtually no spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
“The inauguration is going to be very different, we know that. Hotel rooms are going to be sold in large numbers,” Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
“This could be a record-breaking inauguration for us for a number of reasons, and it's something we need as we haven't had a large inauguration since 2017,” Ferguson said.
Hotel bookings for inauguration week are already up significantly, and with the Washington, D.C., hotel market expected to be fully booked, Ferguson said the trend is likely to spread to the broader region.
“We'll probably see 100% occupancy in Washington,” Ferguson said.
In addition to the 2025 inauguration, Washington DC will also host WorldPride 2025. The weeks-long festival is expected to attract around 2 million guests from late May to early June next year.
“Economically speaking, when you have 2 million people coming into the city and another million coming from the region, it's clearly going to boost Washington's economy,” Ferguson said.
The list of big economic drivers also includes the national convention of Delta Sigma Theta, a historically black sorority.
In addition to these major events in 2025, Destination DC is already looking ahead to one of the biggest events of the decade: the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4th, 2026.
“We're already working with the National Park Service, the city of Washington and other organizations to prepare,” Ferguson said.
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