Tourism picks up in DC
WASHINGTON - Tourism is an important segment of D.C.'s economy.
Perhaps, there's no greater sign that tourism is back than seeing buses parked around the District.
FOX 5 spoke with Elliott Ferguson, the president and CEO of Destination DC, who said what they’re seeing is domestic travel is really bouncing back.
People from the U.S., he said, can move around the country as they wish without many COVID restrictions. Same with travelers from Western Europe.
However, Ferguson says the biggest demographic lagging behind are foreign travelers, particularly from China, and business travelers, who are still doing meetings virtually.
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"We’re recovering at a relatively good pace. The data tells us that we should see a full return to domestic travel by next year, and international travel by 2024, predicated on nothing else happening that could be a disruptor," Ferguson said.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 15: Tourists take photos in front of the White House April 15, 2022 in Washington, DC. Public tours of the White House are beginning to resume after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Requests for a White House tour
Visitors from China haven’t quite returned at the same pace yet. Mostly due to quarantine requirements in the country.
"The number one market, traditionally, for Washington was China, and will be China again. But let’s just face it, the Chinese are not traveling right now. They have to quarantine for two weeks when they return," Ferguson said. "So, we’re seeing a slower return as we look at that market. We’re focusing our efforts on Europe, because we’re seeing the best opportunity there."
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Destination D.C. shared its hotel occupancy data with FOX 5.
For the small slice between March 27 and April 2:
2019: 90% of hotel rooms in the district were filled
2020: 9%
2021: 45%
2022: 70%
Ferguson said weekday business travel to D.C. remains about 60% below pre-pandemic levels. Smaller conferences in hotels are bouncing back, as is the number of larger conferences at the Convention Center; however, the number of attendees at those conferences remains lower as many are offering hybrid options, so in-person attendance isn’t required.