Eighth Record Tourism Year in DC
As we close out August, our team is reflecting on very busy summer for Washington, D.C. which drew thousands of visitors from all over the world enjoying sports, arts, museums, restaurants, festivals and so much more. We love our visitors and just last week, I joined Mayor Bowser and Destination DC and 500 of the city’s hospitality and travel industry professionals to celebrate continued record tourism to Washington, D.C. at Destination DC’s Annual Marketing Outlook Meeting.
In fact, Washington, DC welcomed 20.8 million domestic visitors last year, up 4.2%, and 2 million overseas visitors, up 2.5%, marking eight years of consecutive growth and $7.5 billion spent by travelers. In 2017, tourism directly supported 75,048 DC jobs, up 0.5% over 2016 and exceeding 75,000 for the first time since 2013. According to IHS Markit, domestic and international spending was up 3.1% and surpassed $7 billion for the third time. Business travel accounted for 41% of visitation and 60% of spending. Leisure spending increased by 5.9% and business spending was up 1.3%. Be sure to check out the places you need to experience from the local side of the District, from hot restaurants to the best vintage shops and Instagram spots at this link. #DCCool
Speaking of, we are attracting more international visitors through our direct flights to and from China, India, Europe and, most recently, El Salvador, and soon to come Tel Aviv and Hong Kong!
We are excited to see what this next month can bring. We are ramping up for all things #202Creates, a month-long initiative showcasing & engaging with DC's creative and entrepreneurial community across all 8 wards! New on tap this year is the #WEDC Fest on September 26-28 – we hope to see you there!
We wish you all a great start to the Fall season.
Regards,
Deputy Mayor Brian T. Kenner
#202Creates #DMPEDdelivers
