Find out where DC has been in the news this month and what's new with the marketing team.
Destination DC's (DDC) marketing and communications strategy supports economic development through tourism by reaching potential visitors and inspiring them to travel to the nation’s capital. The current cross-channel promotional efforts are focused on fall travel across editorial and content development.
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Media Coverage
Domestic
DC lands on several major hot spot lists, including The New York Times’ 52 Places to Go, Forbes Travel Guide’s Top Destinations and Garden & Gun’s 2026 Bucket List. More than 85 local newspapers, AAA Insider, Afar, Travel Awaits and Travel Curator further build momentum for DC250. Axios spotlights DC’s biggest events and openings this year and Conde Nast updates its list of the city’s best hotels. Elliott talks DC250 live on FOX 5 and WUSA 9; he’s also quoted in USA Today and the Washington Business Journal.
International
Italy mentions 19 cultural heritage members in La Stampa. Australia’s top consumer travel publication, Traveller, includes DC among the top 25 global cities to visit in 2026. India features DC’s luxury experiences in Peak Life. Brazil’s Veja São Paulo explores ways to explore DC by foot, while Turis News and Brasilturis covers DDC’s Global Marketplace. Mexico’s Alan x El Mundo provides a guide on where to eat during Winter Restaurant Week and Publimetro declares DC the safest destination in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ honeymooners.
Trade
DDC generated exposure for PCMA Convening Leaders 2026 through press outreach that garnered a podcast interview with Elliott Ferguson in Meetings Today and Smart Meetings. Coverage also showcases what's new for meetings in Meeting Spotlight. Claire Carlin appeared on a segment of WJLA's Good Morning Washington discussing NEXT DC.
Marketing Highlights
The global ad team offers an exciting placement with Wanderlust to audiences everywhere: this immersive, VR experience brings DC to the user. The evergreen piece of content, which features multiple DDC members, launched in the UK in January, and now potential visitors can step inside DC from anywhere in the world: a powerful tool to promote DC across markets and even domestically.
Social Highlights
Leisure
Popular Leisure Content
- Top post: DC Looks Good in Snowy White ❄️
- Our “We The People” video series continued, spotlighting DC resident Joy Kingsley-Ibeh
- Followers engaged with a video of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s pandas in the snow and loved seeing the city from above
Popular Industry Content
- Top post: Recapping Destination DC’s time at PCMA
- We celebrated milestone staff anniversaries and our employee of the year
