DC touts record year of tourism with 20 million domestic arrivals
Washington DC welcomed 20 million domestic tourist arrivals for the first time last year.
That tops the previous best of 19.3 million in 2015, Destination DC said.
Since the recession of 2007-2009, tourism has been steadily climbing and the September 2016 opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture was cited as a major draw for tourists.
"These numbers articulate the national appetite for new and enduring tourism inventory in the District as well as DDC’s ability to capture consumers on multiple platforms," said Elliott L. Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC.
Tourism related spending also hit a new record with $7.3 billion. The DC tourism industry supports about 74,000 jobs, the agency said.
"Every visitor to the District of Columbia plays a vital role in spreading inclusive prosperity throughout the local economy by staying in our hotels, dining in our restaurants, visiting our attractions and shopping in our stores," said Mayor Muriel Bowser.
"Congratulations to Destination DC on another banner year for tourism and helping make DC’s economy one of the strongest local economies in the country."
Destination DC this week only released data for domestic tourism. International arrival figures are due to be published in August, it said.
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