Maine tourism office balances green tourism, quality of life in new plan
Courtesy / Leah’s Lens, Maine Office of Tourism
“You form the first impressions of our state for millions of people,” Gov. Janet Mills told tourism stakeholders during Tuesday’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
With 15.3 million people visiting Maine in 2022 and staying longer than ever, paying attention to the attractions that bring them to the state has become a top focus among tourism stakeholders.
With that in mind, the Maine Office of Tourism on Tuesday unveiled a Destination Management Plan at the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
Over the course of 2022, the office sought input from stakeholders, residents and visitors to develop the Destination Management Plan, which centers on destination stewardship that aligns balanced growth with residential quality of life and safeguards the qualities that draw people to Maine as a destination.
“We want to keep people coming back,” Steve Lyons, director of the Office of Tourism, said at the conference.
The initiatives include:
- A cultural heritage tourism segment, with a focus on Wabanaki cultural tourism and Black heritage projects and programs.
- Optimizing the long-term economic impact by attracting travelers who are best aligned to Maine’s experiences and ethos; investing in marketing to improve effectiveness and a better return on the investment. Also, prioritize the diversification of travelers to and within Maine.
- Promoting destination stewardship by integrating sustainable travel opportunities into marketing by the Maine Office of Tourism: includes working with MOT staff and contractors to develop green itineraries and travel ideas.
- Evolving industry support programs to encourage destination stewardship, with new statewide messaging and a toolkit for business and industry use.
- Advancing destination development with an inventory of tourism assets, and supporting and expanding grants and other programs that improve the tourism experience.
- Prioritize collaboration and partnership and expand stakeholder communications and increase the in-person presence in the community and at industry events; train employees on stewardship and inclusion principles.
Various elements of the plan are underway, said Lyons, including new marketing strategies, development of website content, and support of Wabanaki and Black heritage programs. The completed plan is designed to influence the 2023 marketing campaign, which will incorporate elements that promote stewardship of the industry and the environment as key to the sustainability of tourism in Maine.
“It’s the basis of our programs moving forward,” said Lyons, who added that 2022 was “a year of transition for Maine’s tourism industry” as global travel recovered from pandemic lows.
Maine, he noted, has “a loyal base of visitors” and is also attracting new ones.
Although the number of visitors declined 1.5% in 2022 from 15.6 million in 2021, they spent more and stayed longer, Lyons said.
In 2022, he said, the office for the first time expanded its marketing campaign nationally, through partnerships with entities such as National Geographic and Atlas Obscura, and also encouraged year-round visitation.
At the same time, he said, the office last year started looking at tourism through the lens of destination management.
The new focus comes as Maine experiences a significant influx of visitors who enjoy outdoor recreation. But that influx, he said, can risk overuse, which, in turn, can lead to a less satisfactory experience for visitors and residents alike.
Research shows Maine experienced a 10.2% increase in tourism-related visitor days in 2022 over 2021.
Other findings show:
- Visitors to Maine spent 12,138,100 nights in Maine accommodations throughout 2022, up 18.4% from 2021
- Direct tourism expenditures in 2022 totaled over $8.6 billion, up from $7.8 billion in 2021, with an overall economic impact of over $15.8 billion and 151,000 jobs supported by tourism
- Tourism-supported jobs contributed nearly $5.6 billion in earnings to Maine’s households
- The tourism industry generated over $1.2 billion in tax revenue
- 78% of visitors stayed one or more nights in Maine on their trip in 2022 ( up 6% from 2021)
- Canadian day and overnight visitation in Maine in 2022 accounted for 734,100 visitors and $413 million in spending
“National experts have said that Maine has had one of America’s strongest economic recoveries from the pandemic,” said Gov. Janet Mills Mills in her remarks at the conference.
Mills said Maine’s tourism and hospitality industry continues to benefit from growing demand for travel and increasing awareness of Maine as a destination. In 2021, Mills said, Maine experienced its largest population gain since the 1950s — the highest rate of net migration in New England and one of the highest in the country.
“People feel safe visiting our state for a vacation, but just as importantly, some are finding their futures here, too,” she said.
But the industry faces challenges, she noted. That includes a near-record-low unemployment rate of 2.8% last month, resulting in a tight labor market, with two available jobs for every person seeking a job in Maine.
Maine is projected to need to add 75,000 people to the workforce by 2030 to make up for the estimated 65,000 people that would age out of the workforce over the same period.
Mills said her administration is addressing the situation through investments in assets people need to enter and stay in the workforce, including childcare, housing, transportation and infrastructure; investments in free community college programs; and investments in affordable housing, transportation and child care programs.
“You form the first impressions of our state for millions of people,” Mills told the gathering. “Your shops, with shelves full of Maine-made products and a friendly face at the front door. Your hotels, with pristine rooms that offer families a home away from home. Your restaurants, with award-winning food and drinks that tempt people to stay longer than they ever intended. You are the face of Maine, making every visitor fall in love with Vacationland.”
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