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.
Share your b-roll and visual assets with us via the Member Asset Uploader. Help us discover quality content from your business by uploading photography and vertical and horizontal video footage. Content may be used in marketing to promote Washington, DC. Please do not include low-res photography or images with graphics or text.
Media Coverage
Domestic
DC makes Forbes Travel Guide’s top 20 places to travel in 2026. DC is also named the No. 2 American city to visit by U.S. News & World Report, one of Architectural Digest’s 19 places to travel in 2026 to discover beauty across the world, and the safest destination for LGBTQ+ honeymooners by Love Inc. Magazine. AAA, USA Today and Afar feature DC’s plans for America’s 250th. Condé Nast spotlights DC for going all out for the holidays, while Food & Wine and HGTV mention members in their seasonal roundups. Elliott is honored by the Washington Business Journal.
International
Internationally, DC’s festive offerings are highlighted in New Zealand’s Yahoo! News, Germany’s Travel and Tour World, and Mexico’s Publimetro. China’s Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Brazil’s Turis News declare DC as a strategic gateway destination for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The DowntownDC BID’s Guinness World Record for kissing under the “National Mistletoe” was picked up globally in South Korea, Greece, Belgium and Romania. India’s Economic Times recognized DC among the top ten most affordable US winter destinations for 2026.
Trade
The rebranding of NEXTDC receives coverage in Conference and Meetings World
and Travel Daily News. Shirley's DOS announcement was featured in Convention South.
DDC appears in several end-of-the-year trends pieces, including Skift and Smart Meetings. Melissa Riley was interviewed about the positive relationship between leisure tourism and business events for The Iceberg.
Social Highlights
Leisure
Popular Leisure Content
- Top post: The People’s Tree
- Our “We The People” video series continued, spotlighting DC resident Daniella Senior
- Followers engaged with our Reasons to Visit DC This December and celebrated the first snowfall of the winter season
Popular Industry Content
- Top post: Elliott Ferguson was named 2025 Tourism Champion at Washington Business Journal's CEO of the Year Awards
- DDC brought the holiday spirit during our Spirit Week, Employee Holiday Celebration and Member Holiday Party where we announced the new identity of the former American Experience Foundation, now known as NEXTDC
