Elliott L. Ferguson II has spent his career bringing visitors to a city, and asking who gets to lead that work. A Savannah State University graduate, he built experience in convention sales in Savannah and Atlanta before joining Destination DC. He studied marketing and business administration. The Smithsonian's biography also records his service in the Air Force National Guard from 1985 to 1992.
Ferguson joined Destination DC as vice president of convention sales in December 2001. He became senior vice president in 2005 and president and chief executive officer in 2009, with responsibilities spanning convention and tourism sales, marketing, finance and business development. He served as national chair of the U.S. Travel Association from February 2019 to February 2021, and the association inducted him into its Hall of Leaders in November 2023.
The work unfolded through hard stretches for Washington's visitor economy: government shutdowns, then the pandemic. In a March 2021 interview with PCMA's Convene, Ferguson talked through those crises with his team. He also spoke about being a Black executive in the industry, remembering limits on advancement in Atlanta and his decision to take an opportunity elsewhere.
Ferguson has also worked on access for people entering the industry. He helped launch Tourism Diversity Matters in February 2021 and served as its first board chair. Destination DC describes his participation with six other Black destination executives in the video “5 Questions About Race.” Through the organization's affiliated American Experience Foundation, students find scholarships, internships and introductions to hospitality professionals.
