Washington DC has launched a recovery campaign that aims to increase visitation to the city after restrictions were placed following the attack on the Capitol and the pandemic.
Washington DC leaders and hospitality partners are working towards a plan to allow visitors back into the District after many restrictions were placed due to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. DC Mayor Bowser stated, “We want people to know: DC is open.”
Another reason visitors were limited to the area is the pandemic. “From March 2020 through April 2021 we lost $6.6 billion in visitor spending. Now after going without advertising our destination for sixteen months, the recovery campaign will help us welcome visitors back to DC and support our industry’s rebound,” said Elliott L. Ferguson II, president, and CEO of Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital.
Due to all this money lost, the District has proposed an advertising campaign which will increase their visitors and tourists and welcome them to the city. Mayor Bowser continued to say, “It took many months of working together to get to where we are today, and now we are ready to welcome visitors back to the nation’s capital. Whether you come for the museums and monuments or our restaurants and nightlife, we are spreading the word that DC has something for everyone. People may know about Washington, but we want visitors to experience DC.”
The campaign revolves around the theme of “ Experience DC,” promoting the idea the local businesses and attractions in the area, such as a local photographer, Jared Soares, who shot the images for the campaign and the font for the campaign deriving inspiration from a local artist Trés Seals, who is influenced by the fonts used in the signs during the Civil Rights Protests.
The campaign will be promoted on multiple platforms, including digital, print, television, audio, and more. The targeted audience includes residents near DC as well as those in large cities, like New York City, Richmond, and Philadelphia. The campaign will also target marginalized communities including Black, LGBT+, and Latinx travelers by also promoting ads in Spanish.
Many events and attractions are opening to the public in order to increase tourism. On July 4th, multiple parades and fireworks will be held on the National Mall. By August 27, all National Smithsonian museums will be reopened. In addition, multiple Pride Month festivals and events will be promoted throughout the month.
DC is back open after surviving a global pandemic as well as a deadly attack on the nation’s heart. Restaurants, shows, museums, nightlife, and other attractions are in full swing for the summer as DC prepares for the summer of revival and exploration to celebrate the perseverance of the city and the nation.