D.C. business leaders warn Trump's crackdown may hurt tourism
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Federal agents patrol outside restaurants and bars at The Wharf. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Restaurant and hospitality groups are pushing back on President Trump's depiction of the District as a hotbed of "crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor," saying the city is safe — and open for business.
Why it matters: Several D.C. industry leaders say Trump's rhetoric could deter visitors and hurt a tourism economy already affected by the administration's policies and mass federal firings.
By the numbers: 48 groups have canceled or changed their D.C. plans since October due to political concerns, Destination D.C. tells Axios.
- Their estimated economic loss for the city: more than $61 million, based on projected hotel room nights.
State of play: The tourism marketing organization is planning outreach to groups that have booked events or are considering them, according to the Washington Business Journal.
- That includes sharing stats that show D.C. violent crime has hit a 30-year low.
- The organization is also joining in on the viral "love letter" to D.C. trend, where locals share real-life portrayals of the city.
Reality check: Destination D.C. tells Axios that the estimated 2025 losses due to political reasons represent just 2% of the projected revenue generated for the city, "so there is still a lot of positive production happening for the city."
Meanwhile, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) has a message ahead of Summer Restaurant Week, which starts Monday: "D.C. is open for business."
- "Next week is crucial for some to make it through Labor Day," RAMW CEO Shawn Townsend says of the weeklong event, which aims to draw diners to offset a typical August slowdown.
- "Folks may be thinking, 'Why go Downtown when I can do Restaurant Week in Bethesda or Tysons?'"
Zoom in: RAMW is telling its members to promote positivity on social media and talk directly to diners if they cancel reservations: "It's like any major city — be careful — but D.C. is not a war zone."
- It's not just fear of crime — the armed presence may hurt, too. "If I'm coming in from out of town, I wouldn't want to bring my family to a city that has National Guard on every corner," says Townsend.
The bottom line: "It reminds me of what happened in the pandemic, when we did have an actual surge in crime," says Townsend. "People were scared to come."