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
TimeOut names DC the No. 1 city to visit in the U.S. right now and one of the best last-minute Labor Day weekend getaways. USA Today lists two DC hotels in its roundup of family trips to book with reward points and AARP proclaims the city among the best places for the Fourth of July. Six local outlets mention as many as seven members in stories about where to watch the fireworks, including FOX 5 and WUSA 9. The Washington Post, Eater and NBC 4 highlight members going all out for the Olympics. Popular LGBTQ+ outlet Gay Cities raves about its hosted stay in a member hotel.
International
Mexico’s The Happening publishes a five-day guide to discover Washington, DC. TravelWeek (Canada) highlights the return of the pandas to the National Zoo and the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Australia’s Family-Fun Magazine features DC as a top spot for families to find quirky and fun things to do. France’s AR Magazine takes a deep dive into the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the National Museum of the American Indian’s 20th anniversary.
Trade
Northstar showcases new and updated hotels, Prevue features DC's hot culinary scene and Travel and Tour World focuses on iconic attractions. Trade media also supported sponsored content in Skift that outlines ways to incorporate DC’s cultural diversity into meetings and events. The city's historic sites and venues are covered in the July/August issue of Smart Meetings.
Marketing Highlights
New content on washington.org
As fall approaches, the content team has added an array of new and refreshed content to entice potential visitors to the District. Pieces focus on where to get ice cream in the city, competitive socializing spots for visitors to enjoy, reasons to check out the upcoming Theatre Week and a Washington Capitals game, how to plan the perfect bachelorette party in DC, dog-friendly places in the District, brand new restaurants and hotels in the city and much more. The team has also launched a landing page dedicated specifically to inspiring visitors to stay and play in DC over the Thanksgiving holiday.
DC coverage in Australian Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens (AU) featured 18 DDC members across four episodes of their free-to-stream TV show. Each episode showcased a specific location (Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens; the U.S. National Arboretum; the U.S. Botanic Garden; Smithsonian gardens) while making mention of other wondrous experiences in the city.
Social Highlights
Leisure Social
In July, we celebrated Independence Day by sharing a guide on where to see fireworks, featuring some of DC’s most iconic views, and expressed our appreciation for the city with a "Love Letter to DC" reel. Our top-performing posts this month included highlights of DC water activities, Lincoln Memorial sunsets, Metro views and outdoor movie spots. Influencer partnerships played a key role as well: Ale Gutierrez explored DC with her son, Rix, to showcase its accessibility for neurodiverse travelers, while other influencers highlighted Instagrammable spots, LGBTQ+ friendly experiences, and shared their reflections on celebrating Pride in DC.
Industry Social
Industry channels welcomed the NATO Summit and Otakon to Washington, DC and celebrated Independence Day. Staff highlights included celebrating Zoe Roberts as the NAF Alumni of the Year and July milestone anniversaries, as well as a recap of our summer outing. Member spotlights featured Anacostia Community Museum, USA Guided Tours, Hotel Nell - Union Market, Pendry Washington DC - The Wharf, Fingers in Ink, DC by Foot, DC Improv and Sea the City.
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