FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 14, 2009

DC Sets the Stage for Dan Brown’s Latest Thriller

Best-selling author Dan Brown casts a light on power and intrigue in the nation’s capital in his newest thriller, “The Lost Symbol.”  As fans count down the final days until the book’s September 15 release, Destination DC, the city’s official convention and tourism corporation, has launched a webpage enticing travelers to explore locations loaded with symbolism, mystery and Masonic traditions and themes that may factor into the plot.

Destination DC also teamed up with Brown’s publisher, Doubleday, for a campaign promoting the novel and travel to the nation’s capital. Television commercials spotlighting the book and its featured backdrop began appearing this week in 15 major markets, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Charlotte, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Antonio, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Detroit, West Palm Beach, Oklahoma City, Cleveland and DC. Readers in each market can enter to win a grand prize trip to DC, which includes a three-night stay at The Dupont Hotel, admission to the International Spy Museum and Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, plus transportation via air or Amtrak in select markets.

“Dan Brown’s books and movies have inspired travelers to look at popular destinations like Rome and Paris in a different light,” said Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO, Destination DC. “We want to build on the excitement this book is creating to inspire travelers to see DC’s secrets and symbols up close.”

In the wake of each book and movie’s success, “Da Vinci Code”-themed tours have popped up in Paris, London and Edinburgh, while “Angels and Demons” fans have flocked to Rome’s mysterious churches. Brown sets the stage for similar success in Washington, DC in the first chapter of the new book: “Even from the air, Washington, D.C., exuded an almost mystical power,” he writes. “Langdon loved this city, and as the jet touched down, he felt a rising excitement about what lay ahead.”

Dan Brown fans eager to start planning their own Robert Langdon-inspired adventures in DC can learn more about themes, locations and personalities that may appear in the book by visiting the locations featured on Destination DC’s site, Washington.org/lostsymbol. Locations and personalities featured on the site are derived from hints and clues that have been released on Twitter, Facebook and The Today Show. Travelers are encouraged to check out the powerful US Capitol, featured on the cover of the book, and the nearby US Botanic Garden, referenced in a Today Show clue. For Masonic history and lore, readers can discover little-known landmarks like the stunning House of the Temple on 16th Street and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.  Hands-on adventures in code-cracking and espionage await visitors to the International Spy Museum. Additional locations will be added following the book’s release.

For more information, visit Washington.org/lostsymbol.   

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About Destination DC: Destination DC, the lead destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of more than 1,000 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. Washington.org/pressroom