About 15.4 million people visited Washington
in 2005, an increase of 2.7% over the previous year, according to
recently released statistics.
A separate study
indicates that visitors spent $5 billion, which in turn generated
$543 million in local tax revenue, up 4.6% from 2005.
The visitor study,
conducted by D.K. Shifflet & Associates in association with the
Travel Industry Association, shows the majority of Washingtons
visitors hail from 16 states: California, Connecticut, Florida,
Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey,
New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and
Virginia.
Seventy-nine percent
of Washington visitors are 35 years old and older. Seventy percent
are married.
Sixty percent have
household incomes of $75,000 or more. Sixty-six percent are college
graduates.
The study shows 36%
arrive by airplane, 68% stay at least one night and 40% travel
alone.
According to William
Hanbury, president and CEO of the Washington DC Convention &
Tourism Corp., if not for travel and tourism, Washingtons 254,247
households would have to pay $2,135 in additional taxes in order to
maintain such basic services as the police department and the
department of motor vehicles.
Overall, tourism
accounts for 13% of the citys tax receipts, including 41% of all
sales taxes collected.