DC’S HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY JOINS TO THANK MOTORCOACH BUS DRIVERS

Washington, DC – After a three-year hiatus, Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, today celebrates DC Loves Buses Day. The event shows appreciation for motorcoach drivers who bring group travelers to Washington, DC’s attractions and National Mall, contributing to the overall local economy through tourism.

The campaign is designed to welcome and thank group tour operators and bus companies for making Washington, DC one of the top group tour destinations in the U.S. DDC, the District Department of Transportation, National Park Service, National Mall and Memorial Parks, Union Station Parking Garage, America Bus Association, National Tour Association, Student & Youth Travel Association, International Motorcoach Group and the United Motorcoach Association are among the hospitality partners involved.

“As group travel returns to Washington, DC, we know the important role motorcoach drivers play in helping move groups around our great city and also driving the local economy,” says Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “Today we celebrate and thank the motorcoach drivers—the unsung heroes who bring the business to our city and have helped make DC one of the top group tour destinations in the nation.”

DDC and partners will personally thank motorcoach drivers at key locations in the city including Union Station Parking Garage and bus parking areas around the National Mall and L’Enfant Plaza. As a thank you to drivers, teams made up of participants of DDC member organizations will provide 150 lunches donated by Hard Rock Café and gift bags, and communicate the latest regulations and important industry and safety updates. Those bus drivers following the anti-idling laws will be included in a prize drawing sponsored by DDOT and the winners will receive a voucher for a free meal donated by Potbelly.

Group travel is an important segment of tourism to Washington, DC and DDC helps operators with unique itinerary options, activities and resources for planning group and student trips to the nation’s capital. In 2019, DC had record visitation, reaching 24.6 million visitors. As tourism recovery continues, several of the city's group tour attractions will reopen this spring for the first time since early 2020, including U.S. Capitol and White House tours.

In August, DDC is partnering with SYTA in hosting its conference in Washington, DC from Aug. 26-30. During the in-person conference, SYTA will celebrate 25 years of student travel.

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DDC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. washington.org