Destination DC Sets Record in 2025, Aims Higher with Upcoming Sports Events

Tourism in the nation’s capital rebounded in 2025. Destination DC is counting on sports to continue momentum built from the festivities surrounding the country's 250th birthday.

While some aftershocks from a slight downturn in 2024 were present, Washington DC welcomed 27.2 million visitors, a new record. That translated to new heights in visitor spending ($11.9 billion) and tax revenue ($2.4 billion). That spending supported a record 114,013 jobs.

The good news offsets a 4% decline in international tourists, in line with a national trend, and a relatively small increase in the number of visitors (20,000) from the year before.

Expectations are high for increased figures in 2026, in which the White House hosted a UFC fight night and an Indy Car race took place around the U.S. Capitol. Sports figures to play an even bigger role through 2027. The lineup of events that will draw visitors is impressive:

• On Oct. 10, 2026, the city hosts a friendly between the U.S. women’s national soccer team and Spain.
• That same day, the inaugural Banana Bowl championship game will take place at Nationals Park.
• The National Women’s Soccer League championship takes place Nov. 21 at Audi Field.
• Capital One Arena hosts the Men’s Frozen Four (college hockey’s championship) for the second time in April.
• DC will host the NFL Draft April 29-May 1, 2027, when the league expects one million attendees over the course of the three-day event.

The inaugural Banana Bowl championship game will take place at Nationals Park.

A spike is also expected with the debut of a new Major League Volleyball team, the DC Flight.

The impact of NBA and NHL games should also increase with the top-to-bottom transformation of Capital One Arena, a major victory for Washington after the NBA’s Wizards and NHL’s Capitals nearly moved to Northern Virginia.

Some good fortune figures to also boost DC’s sports tourism. Alex Ovechkin announced he will play his 22^nd season with the Capitals this year, and attendance to catch his last games should be high. The Wizards, meanwhile, scored the No. 1 draft pick and selected AJ Dybantsa, whose star power may create high demand for tickets.

“The tourism and hospitality industry is a powerful economic generator for Washington, DC, and in the short and long-term, we expect sports to be a key driver,” said Elliott L. Ferguson II, president and CEO, DDC. “Now we must ensure we can take advantage by steadily investing in marketing our destination. When we do, visitation follows, we put people to work and the entire city, its businesses and residents benefit.”

Creating Buzz

The events teams don’t deserve all the credit for DC’s banner year. Marketing efforts paid big dividends. Noteworthy campaigns included building multi-platform engagement around Chef Anthony Jones of Marcus DC. The “Top Chef” standout and James Beard semifinalist was featured on social media, video and digital content, and helped inspire a culinary itinerary to explored the capital.

Other residents featured in the We the People DC initiative include a gallerist in Petworth and a small business owner in Northeast and Southeast DC.

According to an independent ROI study by the DC Office of the CFO and Future Partners, a leading tourism research company, for every $1 spent on DDC’s spring and summer domestic marketing campaign, $2.12 came back to DC in tax revenue and $24 came back to DC in visitor spending.

Long-term success will also benefit the DMO, which saw overall marketing budget cut by two-thirds because its hotel tax allocation went from 1.97% to .97%. Destination DC expects its hotel tax allocation to be partially restored in fiscal year 2028.

Photo Credit: Destination DC