Elliott Ferguson’s Post

It was great to join fellow industry leaders for an ICCA event as part of Business Events Industry Week 2024 last week. I had the pleasure of moderating a panel with the incomparable Michelle Mason, President of ASAE. While sustainability is a huge topic in our industry, it is good to know that ASAE is making sustainability a priority, with its membership of more than 40,000 association professionals. 

Congratulations to Greg O'Dell, former President and CEO of Events DC, for being recognized as a PCMA Lifetime Achievement honoree. Also, congratulations to Eric Kincaid for being nominated as Supplier of the Year. Although Eric did not come out on top as a winner, he’s always a winner with us at Destination DC, even though he’s now representing Chicago. 

That’s a wrap on another successful National Cherry Blossom Festival, yet there are still many ways to experience DC this spring with upcoming festivals like Passport DC, new museum exhibits and Washington Nationals baseball. And while most of the cherry blossoms have come and gone, the city is still blooming with tulips, wisteria and Kwanzan cherry blossoms. Visit washington.org/spring for more seasonal inspiration.

Please join me in congratulating Newaye Beyene as #DestinationDC's Employee of the Quarter for Q1. As a Convention Sales Assistant, Newaye is a true champion for her team as she shines with compassion, commitment and knowledge. Newaye has continued to make an impact and we are grateful for her dedication as a part of our rockstar team of admins.

As excitement builds for the solar eclipse today, #WashingtonDC is preparing to celebrate the occasion with watch parties and programming throughout the city. While we are not in the path of totality, we will experience about an 87% eclipse of the sun between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. today. Although the next total solar eclipse in North America isn’t for another 20 years, you can always learn more about astronomy in the nation’s capital and surrounding region with a visit to the National Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center and NASA Goddard Visitor Center. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/euEGhmB8

We are all happy to celebrate the 15th anniversary of our CFO, John Kim.    John has led an amazing team that supports our financial, IT and HR needs at Destination DC and has been a significant part of our success in so many ways.    From the beginning, I knew that John was someone with integrity, humility and is just an awesome human being. It has been my pleasure to work with him during his time with the DDC family.   Congratulations, John!

#DestinationDC hosted our first Sustainability Summit last week at Capital Turnaround where I moderated a panel between federal, local and industry leaders to discuss sustainable initiatives and learnings. 🍃 Congratulations to the local businesses and organizations recognized with a Sustainability Award from the DC Department of Energy and Environment. While we know there is still a long way to go, this event, along with our Sustainability District program, leads us in the right direction for a more sustainable #WashingtonDC. Learn more about joining the program at https://lnkd.in/edS9-FWd. 

The American Experience Foundation recently traveled to New York City with 45 students from #WashingtonDC to experience tourism first-hand in another destination. 🙌 The Foundation and these experiences showcase the hospitality and tourism industry, highlighting the wealth of career paths for varying interests at every level. I wouldn’t be at this point in my career if it weren’t for the opportunities I was exposed to along the way – invest in the next generation of industry professionals at washington.org/AEF.

From sports and student groups to citywide conventions and cherry blossoms, #WashingtonDC has been buzzing! 🌸 We love welcoming visitors to enjoy #Only1DC experiences and this combination of events has played a major role in the recent burst of business, contributing significantly to our local economy and industry – with even more to come as summer travel is on the way. Visit washington.org/spring for seasonal inspiration and things to do.

Last month, our Director of Global Tourism Development, Letizia Sirtori, and I completed a mission to Mumbai and Delhi, connecting with the 4th largest market for international travel to #WashingtonDC. 🌏✈️ Despite the 17-hour flight and 9.5-hour time difference, we went back-to-back with VIP events and countless interviews to highlight #Only1DC experiences. While flight and VISA issues fluctuate, we hope to welcome more Indian travelers to #WashingtonDC and to connect further with our international communities.