Destination DC is reassuring agents that the city is open and welcoming to tourists and that it is prioritising accessibility and inclusion.
Addressing concerns that some agents have expressed in sending clients to the U.S. in the current fluctuating political climate, Elliott Ferguson, President and CEO of Destination DC, told Selling Travel: “Washingtonians overwhelmingly love diversity. More than 14% of the population identify as LGBTQ+, and we have heard from people that attended World Pride recently that they felt an overwhelming sense of welcome.”
He continues: “The way I explain it is that if there’s a plane accident, all of a sudden people are concerned about flying. But how many people do you know who have been in plane accident versus in a car accident? We have to do a lot more in terms of separating ourselves as a destination from the federal government.”
Despite reticence from some agents and clients, tourism from the UK is up 2.7 per cent year-on-year in DC compared to the same period in 2024.
His advice for agents is to experience the destination for themselves or draw on their own conclusions if they’ve already visited. “We rely very heavily on those that travel to the U.S. to tell the story about what the concerns are versus the reality of the destination,” he said.
The tourism chief is candid about his own experience: “Why should you listen to the person that’s responsible for promoting a destination to tell you that you should come? I get that, but what I will tell you is that as a minority person in the United States, I feel very comfortable.
“I was embarrassed during the attacks on the Capitol Building on January 6 a few years back, but I’m always a believer of making sure that we don’t weaponise tourism.
“I know that there have been some concerns in terms of the rhetoric, but the reality is, the number of people gaining access to the U.S. has not changed with this administration compared to previous ones, so let’s make sure we tell the story in terms of the overwhelming sense of welcome visitors feel when they visit us.”
Accessibility is also a huge priority, said Ferguson. “We had an organisation come into the city recently that focuses on diverse, accessible travelling and we work closely with the federal government in DC. The goal is to continue to push ourselves to make sure that we’re meeting the criteria of those who have additional needs.”
Speaking about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which enshrines rights and protections for members of the disabled community in law, he added: “There’s nothing better than having accreditation within your organisation and within a lot of the infrastructure in the city. A lot of our restaurants, train stations, our airport, and many other services have ADA credentials to show that they meet the standard criteria for those with accessibility needs.
“This is all tied to making sure that we are sustainable, accessible and have a strong focus on DEI. We make these a priority and we’re very proud of where we are.”
The nation’s capital offers numerous attractions that are accessible to visitors with disabilities and have ADA accreditation, including the Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
