Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, announced that the U.S. capital attracted a record 23.8 million total visitors in 2018[1], the ninth consecutive record year for visitation to Washington, DC. India accounted for 117,000 visitors in 2018, 6 percent of the 1.9 million overseas visitors, making it the third largest overseas market for Washington, DC[2].
“DDC has observed immense potential in the Indian market with our travel partners,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, President & CEO of DDC. “We saw more than twice as many visitors from India in 2018 than in 2013 and we anticipate further growth.”
Visitation from India to the U.S. is forecasted to increase 46 percent, at an average annual rate of 7 percent between 2017 and 2023, to register 1.87 million arrivals by 2023[3].
“With more to see and do across all eight wards of DC, we are proud to continue welcoming visitors from all around the world,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Whether you are coming to DC for work or fun, we are a city with something for everyone – from sports and theatre to world-class dining and museums. We will continue creating new destinations and giving travellers reason to return, because when our tourism industry does well so do our local businesses and workers.”
