Destination DC announced that the number of visitors to Washington D.C. in 2024 reached a record high.
The number of visitors was 27.2 million, surpassing the previous year by 1.25 million. Of these, 25 million were domestic visitors, and 2.2 million were foreign visitors. This resulted in expenditures of 11.4 billion USD, tax revenues of 2.3 billion USD, and the creation of 111,500 jobs.
Foreign visitors stayed longer than domestic travelers and their spending was twice as much. Japan remained the 14th largest overseas market as last year, with approximately 38,000 visitors. The top was Canada (about 258,000 visitors), followed by China (about 108,000) and Spain (about 66,000) with increased rankings. In terms of total expenditure, India ranked highest at 344 million USD, while Japan ranked 12th with 78 million USD.
According to independent research, for every 1 USD spent on advertising, tax revenue amounted to 2.09 USD, generating high economic benefits.
Elliott L. Ferguson II, President and CEO of Destination DC, commented, “For two consecutive years, Washington DC has welcomed more people than ever before. As an economic development organization, we are equally excited to see the direct results of increased investment in tourism being reinvested into the city’s economy. The impact of tourists is immediate and significant to DC’s revenue. However, while we celebrate the numbers from 2024, we also recognize that 2025 will present a different situation. Destination DC will continue to focus on promoting the capital as a welcoming and inclusive destination, especially for foreign tourists. We maintain active relationships with offices around the world.”
Although foreign visitors are expected to decrease by 6.5% in 2025, this is smaller than the 9.4% decrease expected for the United States as a whole.
In June, various events such as the Audi Field FIFA Club World Cup Premier Match and the 2027 NFL Draft are planned, along with the expansion of the National Geographic Museum of Exploration, the National Air and Space Museum, the largest renovation in the 50-year history of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and a new concourse at Dulles International Airport.
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