Capital re-connecting
CMW ’ S IAIN STIRLING SPENT SOME TIME AT THE RECENT PCMA CONVENING LEADERS EVENT IN LAS VEGAS WITH DESTINATION DC PRESIDENT AND CEO ELLIOTT FERGUSON
H ow challenging have the last couple of years been for you in DC ? Any time you ’ re in an industry where you rely on numbers and historical data and you have trends tied to success it ’ s very difficult when all that is thrown out of the water and you ’ re subjected not only to a loss of business but loss of life . It ’ s been very difficult to see what has been happening to the industry and DC .
As a destination we have also had other disruptors . I moved to DC in 2001 and it took us 10 years to rebound from a leisure travel standpoint after 9 / 11 . In between we ’ ve had anthrax , a sniper and federal government shutting down six times . These things have all been disruptors in terms of business , but clearly nothing compares to what is happening now and the concern as we ’ re looking to getting back on track .
What are your expectations for this year ? Last year was better than 2020 . We had 20 city-wide conventions and we have smaller meetings coming to DC in 2022 . We are dealing with Omicron like everybody else and hoping it won ’ t deter people from coming to these conventions , we remain optimistic . a big deal . We rely on business during lean periods . So , the fact that we are hosting these groups – and the Auto Show is returning to DC in a couple of weeks attracting a few hundred thousand people – and seeing them committing is encouraging .
The bottom line is we are learning how to get back on track while dealing with a pandemic .
What else has changed ? The way planners and groups look at business . Hybrid does work , groups have recognised , and does meet the needs of people that cannot come to events in person . That is a change . But then there is the expectation of the destination and the cost of it all to the convention centre . We have also become more astute in terms of the science and medicine tied to the pandemic . We have a good sense of communicating with stakeholders on what ’ s happening and how they can still function in DC with a convention .
We are focusing on how we move forward during Covid . Customers get it and tell us : ‘ You need to help us figure out how we can still have our meeting in your destination in a Covid environment which will probably be the norm for a long time ’.
Above : Elliott Ferguson Below : Walter E . Washington Convention Center
have to fly them in – means they can make recommendations for subjects to talk about during a meeting . Well before the pandemic we ’ ve relied upon key sectors to assist us close business .
What is your outlook ? We are optimistic , we see an increase in leads . If you ’ d asked me that a year ago , I ’ d say write everything in pencil because it changes .
We rely heavily on international visitors , but the positive news is we ’ re getting fewer groups talking about cancelling meetings , unlike 2020 .
Now is the time for the media to rely more on some of the positive things , like CES meeting in Vegas and PCMA Convening Leaders ; safety measures are all in place . After all , how many years are we going to stay off the grid and not travel ?
There is a fundamental difference between certifying online and in person . It ’ s important to get back to the business of meeting in person .
What ’ s new in DC infrastructure ? One positive has been the amount of infrastructure build continuing in the past 24 months . The second phase of the Wharf on the Potomac River opens at the end of the year . It is a unique development in a new part of town . The commitment of industry to build
You had two conventions in the second week of January – The Modern Language Association and the Transportation Research Board , bringing an estimated $ 18.4m of economic impact ; good indications of returning business ? Yes , and they come every year and January is not traditionally a strong month for convention business so this is
How important is leveraging local DC expertise ? Information is constantly changing , such as quarantining time and we are relying on our city government and medical community to assist in understanding what is expected of visitors coming to the city .
The fact that we have all these experts in our back yard – you don ’ t
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