From the Editor: Looks like a banner summer (with a few caveats)
Back in February at the MEREDA conference, hospitality expert Sean Riley said he expected a strong hospitality season this year. COVID restrictions have been lifted and travelers are itching to get back to their favorite places. A destination like Maine has even more appeal for travelers after being cooped up for two years.
People are clamoring to visit attractions and eat in restaurants.
But, for Maine’s pandemic-battered hospitality industry, there were some caveats: Business travel is still lagging, which means the meetings-and-convention business is still soft. Labor shortages will be an issue, affecting hours and capacity. And there’s always the threat of COVID making another surge.
With all that in mind, we dispatched our reporting staff to take the temperature of where the industry is right now.
For our cover story, Renee Cordes spoke to people in the wedding industry. Hard hit in the past two years, wedding planners, officiants, invitation designers, caterers and venue owners are fully booked and ready for the season. See “Highly engaged,” which starts on Page 12.
The restaurant business was among the hardest hit sectors in the pandemic. While dining establishments anticipate a very busy summer, they’re also handcuffed by the labor shortage, which might mean shorter hours and longer waits. See Laurie Schreiber's story, “Dining dilemmas,” which starts on Page 16.
New life for a drive-in theater, worker visas and a resort island are among the topics covered in the “Hospitality roundup,” on Page 20.
Our list in this issue is Maine’s largest hotels. See Page 26.
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