D.C. experienced a record-breaking year in tourism for the fifth year in a row, the city’s tourism agency, Destination D.C., announced May 5. Domestic visitation to the District was up 5.7 percent in 2013, to 18.34 million visitors, according to McLean-based D.K. Shifflet.
All visitors to D.C. contributed a total of $6.8 billion to the local economy, a year-over-year increase of 1.9 percent, per IHS Global, Inc., The city’s retail sector saw 2.5-percent growth. There was a 4-percent increase in spending on food and beverage and a 2-percent increase in entertainment spending.
It is believed that these increases in tourism and spending were the result of several Destination D.C.-sponsored campaigns, like D.C. Cool. Campaigns of a similar nature are in the works for the coming year.
