Destination DC’s Date Nights DC Campaign Proposes Romantic Getaways Throughout February

(Washington, DC) – For the eighth consecutive year Destination DC (DDC) presents Date Nights DC, a February-long campaign designed to inspire mid-winter getaways in Washington, DC. The official tourism and marketing office for the nation’s capital drives visitation during this traditionally slower season by wrapping deals offered by District hotels, restaurants, attractions and tours with easy-to-follow date itineraries. The 2017 campaign will reach capital region consumers with late night television ads, weekday giveaways on social channels, new Valentine-themed Emoji DC stickers and a pop-up event inside Union Station.

Date Nights DC offers are listed on datenightsdc.org, a microsite of washington.org. Consumers are encouraged to plan a budget-friendly getaway by selecting from more than 40 offers from DDC members. The site also houses 80 date ideas organized by experience: luxury, budget, adventure and romance.

“Upgrading your date night in Washington, DC is easy,” said Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of DDC. “Maybe it’s a weekend in a recently refreshed luxury hotel like the Fairmont, St. Regis and Mandarin Oriental, an afternoon at an outdoor skating rink or cocktails by the fire pits at Bourbon Steak, Barcelona or Masseria. Leave your car at home, book a hotel package, reserve a table at Michelin-starred restaurant and tour our world class museums and attractions.”

To generate buzz, DDC will host a branded pop-up coffee bar inside Union Station on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Between 6-11am, staff will gift hot drinks to commuters, inviting them to “heat up with DC.” DDC will promote Date Nights DC’s sweepstakes and weekday giveaways on its Twitter feed and encourage sharing date inspiration on Instagram with the filter #DCinlove. The pop-up will also introduce six new themed sticker-mojis, two of them animated. Emoji DC is a free iOS and Android app that offers 77 original DC-inspired images and animations for texting.

Inspiration on datenightsdc.org emphasizes Washington’s exceptional fine and performing arts, nightlife as well as the restaurant culture that has earned a dedicated dining Michelin Guide and recent accolades from Bon Appétit magazine and Zagat. To assist couples booking a table, DDC will also launch videos featuring star chefs sharing what they love most about the city’s neighborhood restaurants. The series will run on DDC’s social channels, driving users to the robust dining content on washington.org starting Feb. 1.

“The Date Nights DC marketing campaign is special as it focuses primarily on generating overnight stays from regional consumers,” said Robin McClain, vice president of marketing and communications. “It encourages people in and near the District to take a romantic staycation so we’re having fun messaging to our neighbors. By handing out specialty coffees in Union Station, unveiling new additions to Emoji DC, broadcasting our commercial on late-night TV and running a prize-packed sweepstakes, we’re inviting people to love where they live.”

The Date Nights DC television commercial teasing a romantic weekend itinerary for two runs Jan. 23-Feb. 13 on WUSA (CBS), WJLA (ABC), WRC (NBC) and cable channels: Bravo, Comedy Central, ESPN, BET and Hallmark Channel. It is expected to earn more than 1.2 million impressions.

Daily giveaways include four weekly sweepstakes that wrap an overnight at a hotel with two Amtrak vouchers, a $100 American Express gift card and passes for Big Bus Tours, Newseum and DC Circulator and support by American Airlines. Participating hotels are W Washington D.C., The Embassy Row Hotel, The Jefferson Hotel and The Watergate Hotel. Gift vouchers have been provided by Big Bus; Buttercream Bake Shop; Capital Wheel; District Distilling; District Donuts; Entertainment Cruises; Farmers & Distillers; Ice Cream Jubilee; Icons DC; International Spy Museum; Lilly Pulitzer; Madame Tussauds Washington D.C.; National Geographic Museum; National Museum of the American Indian; Penn Commons; The Phillips Collection; RareSweets; Sip & Dry Bar; Visit Loudoun and Zaytinya.

DDC members offering deals include: American Guest House; The Carlyle Dupont Circle – A Kimpton Hotel; Capitol Hilton; The Churchill Hotel; Courtyard Washington, DC/Dupont Circle; The Days Inn Washington DC - Connecticut Avenue; DC Design Tours; Doubletree by Hilton Washington DC – Crystal City; The Dupont Circle Hotel; Eno Wine Bar; The Embassy Row Hotel; Embassy Suites Washington DC- Convention Center; Embassy Suites Washington DC- Georgetown; Escape Room Live DC; Four Seasons Hotel; Hampton Inn & Suites Washington DC Navy Yard; Hilton Alexandria Old Town; Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall; International Spy Museum; JW Marriott; The Jefferson; Kimpton Donovan Hotel; Kimpton George Hotel; Kimpton Glover Park Hotel; Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC; Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel; Kimpton Hotel Palomar Washington DC; Kimpton Rouge Hotel; Kimpton Topaz Hotel; Lansdown Resort and Spa; Marriott Marquis Washington, DC; The Mayflower Hotel; National Building Museum; The Phillips Collection; Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown; Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle; Sheer Madness; Today Tix; Tudor Place Historic House & Garden; Washington Hilton; Washington Marriott Georgetown; Washington Marriott at Metro Center; Washington Marriott Wardman Park; Washington Walks and The Watergate Hotel.

About Destination DC: Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of 900 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. washington.org.

Contact
Danielle Davis, Director of Communications
202-789-7046; 202-603-2093; danielle.davis@destinationdc.com

Kate Gibbs, Media Relations Manager
202-789-7072; 202-297-2431; kate.gibbs@destinationdc.com

Vanessa Casas, International Media Relations Manager
202-789- 7053; 702-578-0255; vanessa.casas@destinationdc.com