Lonely Planet Names Washington, DC Top City to Visit in 2015

Influential global guidebook labels American capital #1 in 2015 for culture, diversity, value

(Washington, DC) Today Lonely Planet, the esteemed international guidebook publisher, announces Washington, DC as their pick for the world’s best city to visit in 2015. America’s capital was selected for its volume of accessible culture, diversity and great value. This honorific decided by Lonely Planet’s in-house expert travelers joins recent pronouncements, notably Forbes magazine’s anointment of DC as the “Coolest City in America.” With exceptional inventory: new hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops and transportation options expected to open in the next 24 months, Washington, DC is positioned to delight domestic and international visitors.

"2015 is a fantastic year to visit Washington, DC and that's why it was chosen as our #1 city in Best in Travel 2015" says Tom Hall, head of content for Lonely Planet. "The pomp commemorating the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's assassination makes next year big for DC. Add that to its hip neighborhoods, incredible eats, venerable performing arts scene and iconic museums, like the Smithsonian Institution, and the nation's capital is looking more epic than ever."

Since 2005, Lonely Planet has released lists of the top 10 countries, cities and regions in the world for the year ahead. The lists are published in a printed book, Best in Travel 2015, an e-book by the same title, and online: www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel. To celebrate the announcement, Destination DC, the official tourism and marketing office for the nation’s capital, will host a social media-inspired Insta-Walk through Capitol Hill and Yards Park on Saturday, December 6, 2014.

"We applaud Lonely Planet’s choice of Washington, DC as the #1 Top City in 2015," said Elliott L. Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC. Washington, DC is an exciting, dynamic, world-class destination but it’s always a major compliment to get that validation from a respected source like Lonely Planet.”

In 2013, the District received 19 million visitors of which 17.4 million were domestic, an all-time high, and 1.6 million came from overseas. Though they accounted for 8% of DC’s total visitation in 2013, overseas visitors represented 27 % of the visitor spending, an average of $472 per stay, up 1.7% from 2012. The top markets for incoming visitors are: China, United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, France, Brazil, Japan, India, Italy and Australia, the country where Lonely Planet was founded.

“Lonely Planet’s content places equal emphasis on DC’s well known attractions, like our monuments, memorials and museums, as well as the city’s must-experience neighborhoods. This mix of the familiar and unknown is also central to DC Cool, our ongoing marketing campaign at home and abroad,” said Ferguson. “We look forward to welcoming Lonely Planet devotees in 2015 and beyond.”

For more information about Washington, DC, please visit www.washington.org.