Dear Members, 

It was wonderful to see you at Marketing Outlook Meeting on Aug. 26. As always, I was proud to speak about our distinctive city – a world-class destination that we’ll continue to showcase and humanize through our award-winning There’s Only One DC campaign and our exciting new We the People video series.

As we come off of record-breaking tourism in 2024, these initiatives, along with the hard work of each Destination DC (DDC) department, will allow us to be aggressive in maintaining momentum. Many thanks to Capital Turnaround for the use of their state-of-the-art venue and to DuPont Brass for kicking us off beautifully.  

At the meeting, we also had the pleasure of introducing NEXTDC – our rebrand for the American Experience Foundation, DDC’s affiliated non-profit which supports the next generation of hospitality leaders. I’m delighted to announce that this event raised nearly $35,000 for NEXTDC. 

This fiscal year, as DDC begins to operate without the Tourism Recovery District as part of our budget, we will rely more than ever on the participation of our members. Most members will see an increase in dues, and our team will contact you so that you can budget for 2026 accordingly. As ever, your membership is integral in making both DDC and the city itself shine, and we’ll continue to bring you the visibility and support your business values.  

Read and share our fall content on washington.org, which includes events like Theatre Week (Sept. 18 – Oct. 5), museum exhibits, concerts and free things to do. Don't miss Art All Night (Sept. 13) or DC’s dazzling autumn sports lineup.  

Kindly,

Elliott L. Ferguson, II
President & CEO
Destination DC

Is your Destination Marketing Organization doing enough to ensure your website is accessible to all? Join Miles Partnership’s Development Manager, August Erickson, for a practical session where you’ll gain strategies for making your digital presence more inclusive and welcoming to people with disabilities.

Mark your calendar for DDC's annual Member Holiday Celebration. Learn more about NEXTDC and celebrate the end of the year with fellow members and DDC staff at the Square (1850 K Street NW).

America's 250th anniversary is an opportunity to spotlight the people, places and stories that make the nation's capital the ultimate place to celebrate. 

Please use the member extranet to submit your one-time or ongoing events and deals for inclusion on DC250.us. Be sure to include essential information (including any blackout dates) and tag with DC250.

You can also access the campaign toolkit with logos, messaging and creative assets to amplify your efforts. 

This new hire training program introduces DC as a tourist destination. It includes a 10-minute visitor orientation video, ideal for new hire onboarding, and the in-depth Special Agent Academy series, created to help deepen your staff's knowledge about DC.

Hiring? Gain visibility through DDC's industry careers job board. Send your job listing to jobboard@washington.org and include:

You could sit in traffic, crawling along the highway. Or you could ride the Metro and actually get to where you’re heading. To Metro is the smarter, faster and more reliable way to not be traffic.

Host impactful conferences, receptions and global events at the Ronald Reagan Building with 65,000 square feet of flexible space, signature architecture and expert planning support.

Theatre Week celebrates the launch of the theatre season in Washington, DC with tickets to 20+ shows for just $25, $45 and $65, plus free events like a musical theatre concert at The Wharf on Sept. 28.

In August, the team tracked over 52 presentations, virtual client sales calls and in-person meetings.

Recent activities: 

DDC’s tourism team continues to meet with clients from around the world to highlight travel to DC.

This month, the team will:

Top visitor questions last month:

Industry Social Channels: @DestinationDC

Leisure Social Channels: @visitwashingtondc