(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the National Cherry Blossom Festival released new attendee data that highlights the success of the 2024 Festival and its economic and tourism impact on Washington, DC and the surrounding area.
“Washington, DC is proud to host the National Cherry Blossom Festival every spring, not only because it is an economic driver for our residents and businesses, but also because it is a point of pride that allows us to showcase our city to visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Mayor Bowser. “Last year, we set a new tourism record, and it is because we have fantastic events and attractions like the National Cherry Blossom Festival.”
The 2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival drew 1.6 million attendees to Washington, DC and its surrounding areas, eclipsing the pre-pandemic 2019 estimate of 1.5 million attendees. The estimated visitor spending in the District alone totaled $202 million, with the average length of stay being 3.9 days. Notably, 58% of visitors stayed within DC and of those, 77% stayed in hotels.
Of those who attended the Festival, 56% were visitors, while 44% were DC-area residents. Of the visitors, 83% came from the United States and 17% from international destinations. In addition, nearly half of attendees used Metro for transportation to Festival events.
“The Festival team is committed to planning and executing a world-class celebration that is not only a hallmark occasion on the D.C. tourism calendar, but also a core economic driver for the region,” said Diana Mayhew, National Cherry Blossom Festival president and CEO. “We are proud to be one of the world’s greatest celebrations of spring, driving D.C.’s brand as the nation’s springtime destination.”
The Festival commissions a study on visitor information every three to four years. Sources of data include an intercept survey by Alexander Babbage, an analytics and insights firm, and Placer, an industry-standard tool used to manage and estimate event attendance, provided by the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District (BID). Destination DC provided information on average visitor spending.
The 2025 Festival will mark 25 years since the Festival’s transition from a volunteer-run event to the thriving, professionally staffed organization that it is today. The Festival has transformed from a week-long celebration to a four-week experience that carries out its mission to share the joy of the cherry blossoms beyond the Tidal Basin, throughout DC and the Washington region, and across the country and around the world.
The 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held March 20 through April 13. More information will be available soon at www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
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