Destination DC, the destination marketing organisation for Washington DC, is using the people of the District as the hook to lure tourists back, following a slow down in visitation.
“We’re focused on the people that live in the city,” Elliott Ferguson, President and CEO of Destination DC, said at IPW 2025 in Chicago last week, of the latest initiative.
“The various communities. The fact that so many different people choose to stay in Washington, open restaurants, raise their families and look at us as a global destination –in spite of the Federal Government – is unique and makes them feel special,” he said.“We love the fact that the Federal experience is a part of why people come to our city. Monuments, memorials, museums – they’re free. Sixty-three museums, the Smithsonian Zoo, which is also free,” Ferguson told media.
He wasn’t shy, but was careful, with addressing the current Administration and its impact on the perception of America and its people, as well as the government’s recent involvement with Brand USA, which saw Ferguson recently removed as the Chair of the Board of the national tourism organisation.
“Politics aside, we are, as an industry, trying to figure out how we got here,” he said, referring to a slowdown in inbound travel to the US as a whole, which happens to coincide with Trump’s return to power.
In 2024, Washington DC welcomed a record 27.2 million visitors, up 5% on the year prior, including 2.2 million international visitors (up 10%). Combined, visitors injected US$11.4 billion into the economy, a 12% jump on 2023 and 209% more than pre-pandemic (in 2019). Of that sum, one-quarter came from international travellers. The average length of stay for visitors from abroad was 4.7 nights. That’s more than double the domestic traveller who stays just 2.3 nights.
Ferguson quizzed the international media, saying: “The reality for us is how do we get you to come to the United States? Come to Washington DC and focus on the positive experiences?”
He suggests sharing the positive stories and experiences of media and delegates at IPW (and pre/post travels in the US) will be crucial, which circles back to the people of DC as their drawcard to first time visitors, or returning travellers.
“There are 533 people that come into Washington DC that pass laws. Love them or hate them, that’s their job.”
“But the 700,000 plus residents of Washington, those who really cherish how global we are as a destination, the 14+% part of our community that identify as LGBTQ+, the welcome, the warmth, the international presence, the 175+ embassies in the city, that’s the Washington that we want to have resonate with people that are coming to the the city.”
He believes Washington’s direct international air access from overseas and the ease of access of the Metro system (comparable to the Tube in the UK), are reasons holidaymakers should build DC into their US travelling plans.
“We want people to feel safe when they’re entering the country. The ease at getting through Customs and Security when coming into the US. Those things will resonate more than perhaps some of the negative perceptions that are out there,” the tourism boss said.
Ferguson has been in Washington DC for 24 years. That time period spans the inception and launch of Brand USA 13 years go. Most recently as Chairman of the Board, Ferguson was one of a handful of board executives recently booted after the Trump Administration eliminated several roles, including the officers of Brand USA.
“It wasn’t personal but it was disappointing because we were really wanting to focus on what Fred Dixon and his team, with him being new to the role, would do in terms of the next iteration of Brand USA,” he told media.
Ferguson said he was “very concerned” the perception was funding for Brand USA was being “compromised”.
“Brand USA needs to have the adequate funding to promote the destination in the same way that Great Britain and other key countries are able to promote themselves.”
“I rely very heavily, as do many in US Travel, to make sure that that message resonates on Capital Hill and within the White House, and we’re optimistic as we look at moving forward,” he concluded.
