MEMBER NEWS

Dear Members,

Last week, Destination DC (DDC) hosted a successful Travel Rally at Union Market’s Hi-Lawn rooftop. The event showcased the importance of tourism to the local economy and brought out numerous local media outlets for coverage. I want to thank Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, U.S. Travel Association’s Roger Dow, Brand USA’s Chris Thompson and DDC’s DEI Fellowship member Chef Dina Daniel, owner of Fava Pot, for providing additional remarks at the rally.

DDC is also focused on recovering international travel to the nation’s capital. From May 31-June 2, I’ll be attending IMEX Frankfurt, and from June 4-8, I’ll be attending U.S. Travel Association’s IPW. Both events will be an opportunity for the DDC team to conduct business and renew relationships with customers and media from all over the world.

You can feel the summer vibes settling into DC and we could not be more excited. Make sure to check out our summer content on washington.org, which highlights an array of activities and events to savor during the upcoming season. We’re also promoting DC’s latest Michelin Guide. Major upcoming events include the European Union House (this Saturday), Awesome Con (June 3-5), Capital Pride’s festival and concert (June 10-12) and of course, Independence Day in DC. A reminder: With our advertising back in market, it’s more important than ever for you to upload your deals and discounts to our Member Extranet.

Elliott L. Ferguson, II
President & CEO
Destination DC

Save the Date for International Tourism 101

Join DDC and get back to basics on all things international travel.

Date: June 21, 8:30 – 11 a.m.

Location: TBD - in-person

Celebrate July 4 with DDC & AEF

On July 4th, DDC and our affiliated charity, the American Experience Foundation (AEF), will host our annual July 4th Celebration for hospitality and tourism leaders, meeting planners, industry partners, friends and family.  Secure tickets for your top clients, create a branded event activation and get recognized as an AEF supporter on press materials.

Stay in the Loop with Industry Buzz

Find out what's happening in the Washington, DC tourism and hospitality industry.

Ready to meet your traveler's needs.

We offer discounts for attendees traveling to large meetings, conferences and trade shows. Attendees can book their own flights online - up to three days before and after the meeting/conference dates.

Kick off summer at the Giant BBQ Battle

Don’t miss the 30^th Annual Giant BBQ Battle, on June 25-26 in downtown DC. It’s two days of delicious BBQ, 30 amazing bands, contests, celebrity chefs, microbrew and wine sampling and more.

Summer fun in Washington, DC

Skip the traffic, relax and stretch out in spacious seats. Amtrak makes travel easy, arriving in the heart of the nation's capital. Book early and save. 

DDC held a successful Travel Rally on May 4 during U.S. Travel Association’s National Travel and Tourism Week. The team leveraged the 2021 visitation data to provide an update on the state of tourism and tell DDC’s story of creating economic development through growing visitation, which has reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels. In terms of advertising, phase one of DDC’s newest ad campaign launched in April with data-based ads on streaming TV and audio platforms and programmatic digital ads, with custom content packages with premium publishers still ahead. Web content continued to see increases in users and pageviews. The marketing and communications team also added a new digital content manager and a new international media relations manager.

The sales team is focusing on a proactive engagement plan for client outreach, with an emphasis on personalized touch points, program restructuring and rebooking and customer engagement. The team held more than 39 presentations, virtual client sales calls and in-person meetings in April.

Upcoming & Recent Activities:

• PCMA EduCon 2022 (June 5-8, New Orleans)
• IMEX Frankfurt (May 31-June 2, Frankfurt, Germany)
• Conference Direct APM (June 12-16, San Francisco, CA)

DDC's tourism team continues to host and attend events for group tour operators from around the world to highlight the benefits of visiting DC. This month, three international FAMs are taking place in DC. After a three-year hiatus, DDC is back partnering with the American Bus Association and friends for DC Loves Buses. The team also joined Sports ETA earlier this month for appointments with sports tourism and industry professionals.

What three things are visitors asking about?

1. I have limited mobility. Where can I rent a scooter?
2. Where can I park my car in DC?
3. How can I visit the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building?

Make sure to use #ExperienceDC

Industry Social Channels: @DestinationDC

Leisure Social Channels: @visitwashingtondc