Washington DC aims to drive visitation beyond its Federal legacy
As Washington DC clocks a successful year of trade milestones, Elliott L. Ferguson, II, President and CEO, Destination DC, highlights India’s key role in its post-pandemic resurgence. He emphasises the significance of adapting trade strategies and making crucial market investments to capitalise on evolving travel demands.
India has solidified its position as the fourth-largest market for Washington, DC, with 147,562 Indian visitors in 2023, reflecting a 54 per cent surge compared to 2022. Surpassing prepandemic levels by 11 per cent, Indian visits have been instrumental in DC's recovery, with similar growth anticipated in 2024. Key source Indian cities include Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, and Bengaluru, with growing interest observed from tiertwo Indian cities.
Leisure and business travellers, alongside students, form the largest segment from India. To encourage an increase in the average length of stay for business travellers, Elliott states, “We want to ensure that they spend more nights, bring their families along to enjoy the city, and include Washington in their itineraries for more than just a day trip.” For the MICE sector, DC offers expansive exhibition spaces hosting up to 60,000 people and easy connectivity to other major cities. Most Indian MICE travellers to DC are drawn to larger US-based congresses, especially in the medical and technology sectors.
Ease of Access
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) welcomed 9.3 million international passengers, leveraging a 26.9 per cent increase from 2022, and is the fastestgrowing international gateway airport in the United States. Elliott points out, “The non-stop flight via Air India to Washington encourages Indian travellers looking to come to the U.S. by flying into Washington and then travelling to other US cities.” As a destination, visitors are drawn to DC’s iconic historic sites, such as monuments, memorials, and the Capitol. However, the focus is now shifting towards a more culturally diverse array of attractions available in Washington.
The U.S. processed over 1.4 million visas in India in 2023, reducing wait times by 75 per cent, despite India’s sheer size and demand volume. The goal is to leverage this visitation momentum and highlight the abundance of experiences
beyond the well-known landmarks to attract a larger and evolving demographic. Despite geopolitical shifts, Europe remains the largest market, though pre-Covid China was the number one. India's trajectory remains positive, with concentrated expansion efforts now reaching out to cities like Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
Unique DC
Laid out in the 1700s by the French, DC is a green city with only 700,000 inhabitants. It is small but has a large international presence with 185 embassies. Speaking on the ‘There is Only One DC’ campaign unveiled in November 2023, Elliott highlights the unique experiences people can have only in DC. He says, “We have the largest Cherry Blossom Festival in America in the spring, while ‘Passport DC’ is a one-of-akind event held in May. Embassies open their doors to the public each weekend for free, and visitors can enjoy that country's food, music, and dress.” As travel demographics grow younger and more informed, there is a growing interest in immersive experiences that extend beyond traditional attractions to include more unique offerings. He adds, “Our goal is to make sure our markets understand the dynamics of our city versus the federal experience as we look at expanding opportunities and competing with great destinations around the world.”
Cultural Investment
Washington, DC, continually enhances its attractions and features over 100 free activities for visitors. An impressive $8.8 billion investment is dedicated to upgrading Union Station. Efforts are underway to promote the entire region, including historic sites in Maryland, Old Town in Virginia, and the picturesque horse and wine country.
The DC event calendar is brimming with upcoming events and museum openings. The reopening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in October 2023 marks a significant milestone as the world's first museum dedicated to women in the arts. The Go-go Museum, inaugurated in February 2024, adds to the fervour. Exciting museum anniversaries are also on the horizon, including the 20th anniversary of the DC Jazz Fest in 2024, World Pride in 2025, and America 250 in 2026. These celebrations promise citywide festivities throughout the year, making Washington, DC, a vibrant destination for visitors from around the globe.