New sales ‘hooks’ from pro-wrestling festivals and innovation trails to riverside dining precincts and important historical anniversaries were highlighted during the East Coast USA mission in Auckland yesterday.

Destination DC and United Airlines recently hosted  six winners on a trip to America’s capital.

The group embarked on a VIP tour of Washington DC, visiting landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Giving Washington DC an image refresh and presenting a myriad of new attractions and developments to the trade will be on the agenda when the city visits New Zealand early August.

Washington DC, Boston and Philadelphia will combine for a major promotion in New Zealand and Australia early August.

The East Coast USA roadshow will begin in Auckland on 8 August with a morning media marketplace, followed by a VIP lunch session for trade, tour operators, media and airline representatives.

By Stu Freeman

One of the first things that visitors do at the new International Spy Museum in Washington DC is to be given a new identity and a mission.

When I punched a few preferences at the venue’s briefing centre I came up as Alex Saito (codename SLICK) of Costa Rica. My mission? To head to the far away exotic destiantion of Christchurch where a double agent was handing over secrets in a spa.

In Washington DC’s National Mall area a temporary free exhibition stretching through to July, FUTURES, has opened at the Arts + Industries Building.

While the exhibition itself mainly looks forward, the venue is an important part of the city’s past, being America’s first National Museum, and an ’incubator’ for many of the other Smithsonian venues.

By Stu Freeman

Significant milestones and new attractions in Washington DC are waiting for New Zealanders who are quick off the block to visit the capital.

After two years of border restrictions it is now easy (with a negative Covid test and a quick and easy attestation form to fill in) to fly to and around the United States from New Zealand.

Fairfax County, located in the heart of Northern Virginia just across the river from Washington, DC, has a slew of new attractions, retail, entertainment, and experiences on tap for 2022.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon has a new exhibit at the Donald W. Reynolds Museum entitled ‘Becoming Mount Vernon’ that takes a broad look at how Mount Vernon came to be, from Native Americans through Washington’s ownership and into preservation efforts.

Exploring Washington DC’s monuments and memorials is one of the most popular activities in the city as well as being a great way to get orientated – especially in the National Mall area. It is also easy to do independently and free.

But it is worth suggesting to clients that they include a guided tour of these icons, thus gaining so much more appreciation and getting around the highlights logically.

As Kiwis start to find their wings again and the direct Air New Zealand flight to New York draws closer, Washington DC is emphasising reasons for the trade to make the city and surrounds a key stop on any East Coast itinerary.