D.C. tourism rose slightly, but international visitors declined

The big picture: D.C. drew 27.2 million people last year, up about 20,000 visitors from 2024, according to Destination DC — but lost the kind of international tourists who often spend more money.

• International visits dropped 4%, which local officials noted wasn't as bad as the country's overall visitation decline of 5.5%.

Flashback: The hotel and restaurant industry suffered during President Trump's D.C. takeover last summer, city sales tax collections showed.

What's ahead: D.C. is betting on a big summer, welcoming visitors for America 250 celebrations, including the UFC fight on the White House lawn next month and August's D.C. Grand Prix. A new website — dc250.us — advertises events and hotel deals.

• "More than two dozen DC250 hotel packages encourage visitors to stay overnight, and forward-looking indicators are signaling strong demand for the July 4 period," says Destination DC.