Hotel Facts

• There are approximately 110 properties and 27,500 hotel rooms located in Washington, DC. The Greater Washington Metropolitan Region is home to approximately 600 properties and 95,000 rooms (including those located within DC proper).
• There are 18 properties currently in the construction pipeline that are expected to be delivered in 2010 and beyond, including 4 that are currently under construction.
• DC’s hotel occupancy’s reach their peak in March through June and September through October. Average daily rates also reach their highest levels during these months.

Restaurant Facts

• There are more than 100 restaurants located in downtown Washington, DC alone, not including fast food, delis and take out.
• Forty restaurants in the metropolitan region received Zagat scores of 25 or higher (out of a possible 30).
• Called “one of the most exciting restaurant cities on the East Coast” by Travel + Leisure, DC’s culinary distinctions include James Beard award-winning chefs, AAA Five Diamond ratings and restaurants included on Esquire’s list of the “Best New Restaurants in America.”

Visitor Statistics

• DC welcomes approximately 15 million visitors each year, generating an estimated $5.24 billion in visitor spending for the city alone.
• Approximately 1.2 international visitors come to DC annually. Top countries of origin include: United Kingdom, Germany, Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico), Japan, India, South Korea, Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden), Australia, Italy and France.
• For additional visitor statistics, visit the research and statistics page.

Attractions

• Top attractions include:
  • Smithsonian’s: National Museum of Natural History (7 million visitors)
  • National Air & Space Museum (6 million visitors)
  • National Museum of American History (3 million visitors)
  • National Zoological Park (3 million visitors)
  • Lincoln Memorial (4 million visitors)
  • World War II Memorial (4 million visitors)
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial (4 million visitors)
  • Korean Memorial (3 million visitors)
  • FDR Memorial (3 million visitors)
  • Rock Creek Park (2 million visitors)
• DC is also home to 4 major sporting event venues with 167,000 total seats and 8 major professional teams including the Redskins, Wizards, Mystics, Nationals, United and Capitals
• There are more than 40 performing arts/theatre venues with 31,000 total seats.
• More than 50 private tour companies offer nearly 40 regularly scheduled tours.

Washington, DC Demographic information (Source: US Census Bureau, 2006, Bureau of Labor & Statistics, 2004-2005 and Greater Washington Initiative Analysis, 2007)

• Population: 581,530
• 47% male and 53% female
• 46% of DC residents hold a Bachelor’s Degree or higher (compared to 27% of US of population).
• DC’s population is 55% Black/African-American (compared to 12% of US population) and 8% Hispanic/Latino (compared to 14% of US population).
• Median age: 35
• Median household income: $61,105
• Greater Washington has the largest percent of adults with advanced degrees (19%) in the U.S., more than twice the national average. 43.9% of local women have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, the highest percentage in the nation.

Transportation

Airports

• There are 3 DC-area airports - Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• These airports service more than 60 million passengers each year, 31 million of which deplane in the DC area.
• DCA and Dulles service more than 90 domestic destinations and have 423 weekly departures to 21 international destinations.
• BWI services 61 destinations (319 flights) and has daily departures to 8 international destinations.

Train

• Union Station in DC is home to Amtrak and multiple commuter rail services; 3.8 million Amtrak passengers travel through DC each year

Public transportation

• Metrorail & Metrobus
  • The Metro system is the nation’s third-largest (with 5 rail lines, 106 miles of track and 86 stations) and the nation’s second-most utilized transport system (carrying 206 million riders each year)
  • For hours, fares and station information, visit wmata.com.
• DC Circulator:
  • 3 bus routes service 2.2 million riders each year, connecting Union Station with Georgetown, the National Mall with Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and a seasonal loop around the National Mall, priced at just $1 per ride.
  • For hours, passes and route maps, visit dccirculator.com.
• Taxis:
  • Beginning in April 2008, the DC taxi cab system will convert to a meter system.
  • Fares begin at $3, plus 25 cents per each additional 1/6 mile and 25 cents per minute of wait time.
  • Cab fare from Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) to Walter E. Washington Convention Center will cost $11-15.

Green Initiatives

• 70 percent of land in Washington, DC is controlled by the National Park Service. There are 250,000 acres of parkland in the Greater Washington Metropolitan area.
• In 2007, DC was named the most walkable city in the US in a study by the Brookings Institute.
• In late 2006, City Council passed an initiative making the nation’s capital the first major city to require developers to adhere to guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council.
• The Washington Nationals Ballpark is striving to be the country’s first green-certified ballpark
• DC’s hotels have implemented green initiatives, including wind power, renewable energy credits, recycling and adopt-a-park programs with neighborhood green spaces.
• For more information, click here to learn about the green experience in DC.

International DC

• 84,000 DC residents (15%) speaking a language other than English at home
• 74,000 DC residents (12%) are foreign-born
• The Greater Washington region is home to 400 international association, 700 internationally owned companies and more than 150 embassies and international cultural centers.

Sales Tax

• DC sales tax: 5.75%
• DC hotel tax: 14.5%
• DC restaurant tax: 10%
• Maryland: Sales tax is 5%. Hotel tax varies by county with most counties averaging between 5% and 8%.
• Virginia: Sales tax is 5%. Hotel tax varies by county with most counties averaging between 9.5% and 10%.

Climate
DC has a generally temperate climate, with pleasant springs and autumns, and mild winters with approximately 17 inches of seasonal snowfall.

Industry
Leading employers (with number of employees) (Source: Washington Business Journal Book of Lists, 2008)

• Lockheed Martin (22,000)
• Northrup Grumman (20,000)
• SAIC (16,000)
• Inova Health System (15,000)
• University of Maryland (15,000)
• Marriott International Inc. (14,500)
• MedStar Health (13,000)
• Verizon Communications (13,000)
• Booz Allen Hamilton (11,000)

Largest Colleges/Universities (by number of undergraduates) (Source: Washington Business Journal Book of Lists, 2008)

• Northern Virginia Community College (60,000)
• University of Maryland, College Park (25,000)
• George Mason University (18,000)
• The George Washington University (10,000)
• Howard University (10,000)
• Georgetown University (7,000)
• American University (6,000)
• University of the District of Columbia (6,000)
• Strayer University (6,000)
• The Catholic University of America (3,000)
• Marymount University (2,000)
• Gallaudet University (1,000)