International visitation, meetings included, is a steadfast pillar of Washington, D.C.’s $11.4 billion tourism industry and overall economy, generating 27% of spending as of 2024. This January, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to the sector, Destination DC (DDC) welcomed local and global tourism leaders to its annual Global Marketplace forum to identify growth opportunities and understand current market dynamics and travel sentiment.
Held at the event-capable Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, the event featured DDC-led discussions with panelists from the U.S. Travel Association, Brand USA, Dulles International Airport and global DDC representatives. Much of the focus was on strategies to sustain international visitation, maximize economic impact and maintain D.C.’s competitive standing in today’s ever-fluctuating global travel environment.
“Global Marketplace provides a critical opportunity to listen to our partners on the ground and respond thoughtfully to the realities facing international travel today,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO, DDC. “Washington, D.C. benefits from its global influence and our message is clear: We are open, we are welcoming and we remain committed to engaging international visitors by staying present, proactive and globally connected.”
According to DDC, the overall mood of the Global Marketplace forum was “resilience and optimism amid uncertainty.” That sentiment was undermined one month later when the Middle East and its $460 billion tourism and MICE industry were embroiled in region-wide conflict following the joint U.S. and Israel attack on Iran. Triggering event cancellations in the region, the escalating turmoil is acutely disrupting the perception and reality of international travel for the foreseeable future.
As the global meetings and events industry has repeatedly demonstrated in the face of real-time crises with global impact, resiliency is a powerful force equal to the task, one that defines the very fiber of our nation’s capital. That includes influential meetings that produce positive outcomes and keep the market buoyant.
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Continually evolving its brand positioning and messaging, DDC’s new “Meeting Moments” page highlights prominent global organizations that chose D.C. for their high impact programs. Melissa Riley, DDC’s senior vice president of convention sales and services, discusses the innate strengths, attributes and magnetism that make D.C. such a powerful place to convene.
Healthy Returns From High-Impact Events
With global mortality rates from chronic liver disease and associated complications such as cancer and cirrhosis rising, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) is at the forefront of reversing this trend and improving liver care worldwide. Last November, AASLD’s signature annual event, The Liver Meeting, came to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.
Encompassing the global hepatology community, from surgeons to policymakers, the five-day event, with exhibitors, attracted 8,500 attendees from 85-plus countries, generating 3,684 rooms on peak and 15,521 total room nights.
Offsite programs included receptions for fellows and members at the magnificent 1885 National Building Museum.
With the theme of “Your Impact Begins Here, Today!”, The Liver Meeting typifies a Meeting Moments success story.
“Meeting planners today are focused on delivering measurable outcomes for their organizations and attendees,” Riley said. “We created Meeting Moments to showcase real examples of organizations from around the world that have successfully hosted meetings in Washington, D.C. and the tangible impact those meetings generated. These stories highlight how planners are leveraging the city’s intellectual capital, cultural depth and institutional access to elevate their programs.”
D.C. stands apart as both a national and global hub where industries intersect, policy is shaped and innovation produces continual advances.
“What differentiates the city is not only access to subject matter experts, but access to the institutions, ideas and environments that shape thinking across sectors,” Riley continued. “From collaborating with museums and cultural organizations for immersive offsite programming to engaging universities, research institutions and international entities as knowledge partners, D.C. offers enduring credibility and relevance for every industry we serve.”
This impact, added Riley, “is ultimately reflected in your delegates’ experience, in the caliber of content they engage with and the distinct sense of place the destination provides.”
Meeting Moments also reflects DDC’s repositioning of D.C.’s intellectual capital within the meetings space.
“Our approach centers on experience-led intellectual capital, where the destination itself becomes part of the learning environment,” Riley said. “As curator, connector and translator, Destination DC works with planners to design programs rooted in institutions and place-based experiences that support expanded perspective, leadership development, innovation and global awareness. The result is meetings that deliver lasting value for attendees and meaningful outcomes for organizations.”
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Other recent success stories include the 2025 International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) Congress. Host venues included the convention center, with a networking event at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Of the 4,927 delegates attending the first ISTH Congress in the U.S. in 16 years, 58% were international, many of whom commented on the “smooth, friendly and efficient” arrival and entry process.
Riley and DDC’s Chief Marketing Officer Robin McClain will be soft-launching further new positioning around D.C.’s intellectual capital prowess at an offsite salon-style event with planners and media at IMEX Frankfurt 2026 next month.
Resiliency Against Reversal
D.C.’s continual investment in the future includes a wave of new group-ready venues and attractions leading up to and beyond America’s 250th anniversary this summer.
Notable developments in fall 2025 included the completed renovation of the American Institute for Architect’s Global Campus for Architecture & Design, offering eight flexible indoor spaces for up to 300 guests.
Reinventing five landmark buildings that originally housed the famed “Bank of Presidents,” the free-admission (with advance tickets) Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream celebrates stories of innovation and resilience while inspiring dialogue on accessing the American Dream through interactive exhibits and programs. Event space is anticipated for 2027.
Turning 50 this year, the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill’s completed full-property transformation includes the redesign of all 836 guest rooms and 22 upgraded meeting spaces, including the 1,500-capacity ballroom.
Anticipated summer 2026 unveilings include the $250 million enhancement of the National Geographic Museum of Exploration, featuring exceptional new spaces for conferences, receptions and immersive offsite experiences, plus VIP programming ideal for corporate events such as National Geographic speakers and photo talks.
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Supplyhouse DC is the transformation of a 100-plus-year old Navy Yard electrical substation into an indoor and outdoor event venue. Scheduled for July 2026, the building, featuring 55-foot ceilings and an original 30-ton overhead gantry crane, will accommodate 800-capacity dinners and 1,200-person receptions.
Capital One Arena, multipurpose home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals and Georgetown men’s basketball, is undergoing a $1 billion renovation. Aiming for fall 2027, the project, anchoring a new entertainment district, includes new spaces for corporate buyouts and The Halo, a new multilevel space with versatile hospitality options for around 4,500 guests.
Resiliency involves having the mental, emotional and physical strength to navigate and adapt to challenges. As DDC’s Meeting Moments demonstrates, strong human connections—the heartbeat of the meetings industry—are integral to this dynamic process.
