November 08, 2022

EP 201: Elliot Ferguson President and CEO of Destination DC

46 minutes

Elliott Ferguson is President and CEO of Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC.

A 33-year veteran of the travel and hospitality industry, Ferguson leads DDC’s efforts to generate economic opportunity for the District through meetings and tourism, overseeing the organization’s convention and tourism sales, marketing, finance and business development operations.

Ferguson celebrated his 20-year anniversary with DDC in December 2021. He began his tenure in December 2001 as the Vice President of Convention Sales, became Senior Vice President of Convention Sales and Services in 2005 and has served as President and CEO since 2009. Prior to DDC, he was Director of Sales and Vice President of Sales at the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and Director of Sales at the Savannah CVB.

In January 2021, he was named Board Chair of Tourism Diversity Matters, an organization focused on creating diversity, equity and inclusion opportunities at all levels of the workforce. He has been instrumental in advancing conversations about race and racism throughout the hospitality industry.

Ferguson was National Chair of the board of directors for the U.S. Travel Association from February 2019 to February 2021 and is currently chair of the compensation committee. He serves on the board of Brand USA from December 2021-December 2024.

As the tourism industry faces the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferguson is focused on strategic recovery with many organizations including DDC’s Recovery Advisory Committee, Connected DMV, the Downtown Recovery Work Group.

He is on the board or a member of: Advisory Board of the Smithsonian National Zoo; DC Jazz Festival; Ryan Kerrigan “Blitz for the Better” Foundation and the United Way of the National Capital Area. He represents DDC as part of the Hospitality Alliance of Washington, D.C.

Ferguson received a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Business Administration from Savannah State University. His many industry memberships include Professional Conference Management Association, International Association of Exhibition Executives, Destinations International, National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Meeting Professionals International and American Society of Association Executives. Ferguson and his wife, Telesa Via, also a hospitality industry veteran, are longtime residents of Capitol Hill. He is active with Capital Partners for Education, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Delta Sigma Pi. Destination DC: the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC.

Bio comes from Destination DC.

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