Washington DC organises 3-city Sales Mission in India, connects with over 300 travel partners

Destination DC, the official destination marketing organisation for Washington DC, organised three-city sales mission in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi. Connecting with over 300 travel partners in the three cities, the organisation shared plans to promote the new tourism developments and unique offerings of the District.  “With a 32 percent increase in visitation, India has proven to be one of our most successful growth markets, ranking fourth globally. We see immense potential among Indian travellers. Through this roadshow, we aim to establish strong partnerships and continue to market not only the key attractions in the city, but also its dynamic neighborhoods that reflect the ‘DC Cool’ brand,” said Mr. Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. In 2017, Washington DC welcomed 135,000 visitors making India as the 4th largest overseas market for the destination. From 2015 to 2017, visitation to DC increased by 67 per cent.  The National Cherry Blossom Festival (held from March 20 – April 14) was the theme of the sales mission. More than 1.5 million visitors descend upon Washington, DC every year to admire the 3,000 cherry blossom trees in full bloom. With $11.2 billion in development underway. There are 18 hotels in the pipeline adding 3,987 rooms to the city, including recently opened Conrad Washington, DC and Hilton Washington DC National Mall, anticipated to open in April 2019.  The International Spy Museum moves to L’Enfant Plaza on May 12 and the Washington Monument reopens this spring. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s “Fossil Hall” reopens in June.