A recent report confirmed that domestic tourism to Washington, D.C., reached record highs for the sixth consecutive year in 2015. The capital welcomed more than 19.3 million visitors that year, a 5.3 percent increase over 2014. Visitor spending also rose, totaling approximately $7.1 billion—up 4.1 percent from the previous year.
“In 2015, D.C. welcomed 1 million more domestic visitors than it did in 2014. Visitor spending was up $300 million over the previous year. These coveted numbers represent the impact of tourism investment in the nation’s capital,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination D.C.
Spending increases were recorded across key sectors: hotel stays rose 5.3 percent, retail spending increased 4.7 percent, food and beverage grew by 5.1 percent, and entertainment spending climbed 2.6 percent. These gains reflect broader momentum in the city’s tourism economy and the effectiveness of efforts to promote D.C. as a destination for leisure and business travelers.
In addition to leisure travel, conventions continued to drive economic activity. In the year ahead, the city planned to host 15 citywide conventions with an estimated combined economic impact of $277.9 million. Notable events included the American Alliance of Museums Annual Convention and the Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference & Expo.
“Events D.C. remains committed to driving premier event experiences across the city while acting as an economic engine for Washington, D.C., through the growth and attraction of major events held at our venues and beyond,” said Gregory A. O’Dell, president and CEO of Events D.C. “The 450-plus events that we hosted, produced and sponsored during fiscal year 2015 generated an estimated $415 million in visitor spending for D.C. This is economic impact that supports thousands of jobs in the District’s largest private sector industry.”
