Washington, D.C welcomed a record 22 million domestic tourists last year, extending a run of nine consecutive years of growth.
The leisure market accounted for 61% and leisure spending wass up 13% year-over-year according to marketing organization Destination DC.
"An additional 1.1 million domestic visitors to D.C. year-over-year is a big deal for the city," said Destination DC president and CEO Elliott Ferguson.
"As we market the city through our ‘Discover the Real DC campaign,’ we continue to show potential visitors that there’s so much more to see and do in Washington, DC beyond the federal government."
However business travelers are still the top spenders, accounting for 57% of all tourism related spending
Tourism supported more than 76,000 local jobs last year and generated $851 million in D.C. taxes.
"The continued growth of our city’s tourism industry reflects the overall strength and success of Washington, DC," Mayor Muriel Bowser.
