WASHINGTON, D.C.
With the federal government shutdown continuing well into its second week, meeting and travel planners have been faced with the shutdown of hundreds of national park sites and the furloughing of approximately 800,000 government employees.
Several industry groups and leaders have stepped forward to express concerns over the situation, ranging from a blog post from Marriott’s CEO slamming congress for its inactivity to additional calls for action from the U.S. Travel Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association and others.
Our nation’s capital, as home to countless government employees—and host to numerous federally operated venues and events—has taken a big brunt of the fallout, including dozens of cancelled and postponed government-related meetings and events around D.C.
At Destination DC, representatives had seen some events moving from federal-operated locales to private venues—and also reported extensive activity from area restaurants offering shutdown-spurred dining specials.
Additionally, the group’s Elliott L. Ferguson, president and CEO, shared this comment on the shutdown:
“Destination DC and our members are currently assisting operators, meeting planners and individual travelers with rebooking and changing components for upcoming tours affected by the partial government shutdown, working one-on-one to welcome groups.
"While I am hopeful for a speedy resolution, I am confident that the strong collaborative spirit between our members will continue to allow operators to engage visitors with many of the world-class attractions that make Washington, D.C., an outstanding place for leisure and business travelers.”
Additional resources:
U.S.T.A. Shines Spotlight on Fallout
Tales from the Frontline of the Travel Industry
