Since its rebranding in 2008, Destination DC has hailed the positive results of its aggressive and comprehensive efforts to attract more visitors and support the development of the nation’s capital.
President and CEO Elliot Ferguson II said: “We continue to move in the right direction in terms of the number of visitors to our city. We peaked with over 20 million visitors last year, with both domestic and international tourists coming to Washington D.C. This is continuing to grow.”
While its largest market remains domestic tourists, Destination DC counts among its fastest-growing international markets neighboring Canada and Mexico, as well as Brazil, the United Kingdom, India and China.
Funded by a portion of hotel occupancy taxes, membership dues and cooperative marketing fees, Destination DC is focusing its marketing on the meetings, conventions and events sector.
“Destination DC is the official convention and visitor’s bureau for Washington D.C. Our role is economic development by promoting our destination for domestic tourism and for international and conventions. We want to create jobs and simulate the economy through visitors,” Ferguson said.
Generating around US$ 9 billion in related revenues, Destination DC has a membership of 850 businesses and organizations in the travel, tourism, and associated sectors.
