There haven’t been any event cancellations, but organizations that have events planned in D.C. are reaching out with questions in response to the federal takeover of the city’s police force, according to Destination D.C. President and CEO Elliott Ferguson.
The group is responsible for marketing the city, and Ferguson said he’s been speaking to visitors for the last few days. He had a conversation with one group considering hosting a meeting, and after three days in the city, “none of the concerns that are referenced from a national perspective really resonate or exist.”
Since Monday’s announcement that the federal government would take over the city’s police force and bring hundreds of National Guard troops to D.C. streets, Ferguson said Destination D.C. has emphasized what’s happening on the ground versus what’s being said publicly.
“This is not our first unfortunate incident that could impact tourism,” Ferguson said, pointing to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the 2002 D.C. sniper attacks as other instances in which people have asked whether they are safe.
Even a government shutdown could lead to some questions, because “the perception is there’s a padlock on (Interstate) 395 and a padlock on New York Avenue, and people can’t come into the city because the government is shut down.”
Though nothing has been canceled, Ferguson said people have reached out to ask, “Is D.C. really that unsafe? Are the things that are being stated by the administration actually true?”
“I don’t have to say a word, because I know that the mayor and our city leaders, elected officials, are going to focus on the reality, which (is that) crime is at a 30-year low,” Ferguson said. “We always have a line of communication tied to delivering the facts versus what is being stated.”
Destination D.C. relies on external organizations to track what happens when there’s something negative said about a tourist destination, he said. They’re sharing information with hotels that can be given to visitors, “giving them some insight as to what’s happening in the city versus what they’re hearing.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
