A total of 165,100 Indian travelled to Washington DC in 2023 and recorded a spend of USD 287.4 million
More people visited Washington, DC in 2023 than ever before, says Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organisation for the nation’s capital.
In a press statement, Destination DC says that Washington, DC welcomed 25.95 million total visitors last year, up 17 pc from 2022 and surpassing the pre-pandemic record set in 2019. The new benchmark resulted in a record USD 10.2 billion in visitor spending and supported a record 102,366 local jobs.
The statement adds that the growth was propelled, among others, by the Indian market, which now stands as the second largest international source market for the capital of the United States. It says that a total of 165,100 Indian travelled to Washington DC in 2023 and recorded a spend of USD 287.4 million.
Elliott L Ferguson
“India continues to be an important market for Washington, DC tourism, coming in as our number 2 overseas market for visitation in 2023. More importantly, India was DC’s top overseas market for 2023 visitor spending. Research shows that the Indian market prioritises DC for its arts, culture, luxury amenities and shopping, and we have plans to invest to further expand our market share in 2024 and beyond,” say Elliott L Ferguson, II, President and CEO, Destination DC.
The statement adds that of the record 25.95 million total visitors, 24 million travelled domestically. That means domestic visitation has fully rebounded to 105 pc of 2019 figures. International visitation continues to trend towards pre-pandemic levels. The 1.95 million international visitors indicate an 85 pc return, but a 40 pc increase year-over-year. International travellers typically stay longer and spend twice as much as their domestic counterparts.
The statement adds that top international markets along with India include Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, South Korea, Mexico, Italy, Spain, China and Australia.
“This is a major milestone for Washington, DC. Put simply, we are seeing the results of our increased marketing and sales efforts thanks to the tourism recovery district legislation, and the city is benefitting from increased tourism. There is still work to do, however, since international travel hasn’t fully recovered. The additional funding allows us to continue to entice international visitors who stay longer and spend more,” says Ferguson.
According to the statement, the data underscores the importance of increased tourism to the city’s economy, with visitor spending up 29 pc and local jobs created from tourism up 25 pc year-over-year, respectively.
The statement adds that DDC launched its award-winning creative campaign, There’s Only One DC, last November, positioning DC as wholly unique and spotlighting its diversity of experiences and free things to do. Additional funding through the tourism recovery district has enabled DDC to ensure the messaging reaches potential travellers. It says that There’s Only One DC has the largest reach of any DDC campaign to date.
DC boasts a packed calendar of iconic festivals and events, as well as a star-studded sports schedule this year. And next year, 2025, will be a big year for DC as it hosts WorldPride 2025, a two-week festival that could bring millions to the nation’s capital in 2025. In addition, the 75th NATO Summit will be held at the Walter E Washington Convention Center from July 9-11.
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