Dear Members,
In honor of the Nationals’ 20th anniversary, Nats Park hosted two major events for us this spring: Member Speed Networking on April 30 and Travel Rally on May 6. Thank you for joining Destination DC (DDC) to celebrate records across the board in 2024:
- 27.2 million visitors, up 5%
- $11.4 billion visitor spending, up 12%
- 111,500 jobs, up 8%
- $2.3 billion in tax revenue, up 11%
Anyone who’s spent time in DC during the spring knows how lucky we are to call this city home. Of course, the blooms are spectacular, but the nation’s capital is bursting with much more.
WorldPride arrives this month, after years of planning and anticipation. From May 17 – June 8, find a variety of events to celebrate the global LGBTQ+ community, from parades to block parties to ceremonies and concerts. DDC is thrilled to welcome this influx of visitors and showcase the warm and welcoming nature of the District.
Strong visitation means a thriving city, which is why it’s exciting to have a spring season so full of events. Passport DC continues through May, with Fiesta Asia taking place this Saturday. May 26 is Memorial Day, a holiday DC is uniquely suited to commemorate. I hope you’ll enjoy the weather and take advantage of all the city has to offer.
Kindly,
Elliott L. Ferguson, II
President & CEO
Destination DC
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- Earned media: AFAR and The Points Guy name DC a top June destination, while Lonely Planet publishes an LGBTQ+ guide to the city. Condé Nast shortlists DC as a value destination for families and AFAR interviews locals who speak to the city’s cultural diversity. Internationally, Germany’s Kleine Zeitung and Mexico’s El Universal feature DC’s cherry blossoms. The UK’s Independent lists DC as a top destination for solo female travelers and India’s TravelLinksLive lists over 55 member events. In Trade news, Smart Meeting’s tours several Sustainability District members and Travel Daily Media highlights the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Elliott discusses the impact of inclusive events in DC.
- The District Blog: DDC's content team has launched The District Blog, a new content hub designed to drive visitation by making DC’s attractions and experiences more discoverable than ever before. The blog surfaces a wide variety of inspirational content – from popular listicles to niche articles – organized by interest categories, which allows potential travelers to stumble upon new ideas, explore by passion and easily dive deeper into related experiences. The team will gather insights from user behavior to better tailor content to inspire future visitors.
- WorldPride DC 2025: With the celebration slated for May 17 through June 8, DDC is in the final stages of preparation for WorldPride. A content hub welcomes potential visitors with a range of articles, from event-focused to inspirational and informational. Support also includes promoting the global celebration across all channels, including advertising and social media. DDC's communications and social team plans to host approximately 40 journalists and influencers across the multi-week extravaganza.
- Social media: April started off with a wave of seasonal content celebrating the city’s spring weather – from a Spring Bucket List to family-friendly activity guides and rooftop recs perfect for warmer days. Leisure channels leaned into sustainable travel, featuring eco-conscious vacation tips, secondhand shopping and parks. In sports and culture, the team celebrated Alex Ovechkin, cheered on the DC Defenders, shared reasons to catch a Nationals game and announced this year’s Jazz in the Garden schedule. Industry channels welcomed Awesome Con, recapped the Sustainability Summit, honored Emancipation Day in DC, spotlighted Elliott Ferguson’s PCMA Lifetime Achievement Award and shared how DDC is gearing up to celebrate 4th of July.
In April, the team tracked over 157 presentations, virtual client sales calls and in-person meetings.
Recent activities:
- Operation Cherry Pie (March 31 – April 4, Washington, DC)
- PAC Events Washington, DC Familiarization Tour (April 2-4, Washington, DC)
- HelmsBriscoe Florida Roadshow (April 14-18, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale & Miami, FL)
- Prestige Partner Conference (April 16-18, Phoenix, AZ)
- Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals & Meeting Planner International Greater New York Executive Leadership Summit (April 30, New York, NY)
The TSVE team has a busy month with WorldPride preparations, sales missions, familiarization tours and more.
Top visitor questions last month:
- What time of year is best to visit?
- Will there be a protest during my trip? Will that affect my trip?
- How do I visit embassies?
Make sure to use #Only1DC
Industry Social Channels: @DestinationDC
Leisure Social Channels: @visitwashingtondc
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