Visitor spending was up 6% last year, with $6 billion being shelled out by an estimated 35.8 million visitors.
The Portland Press Herald reported that figures were released by the Maine Tourism Association at the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism, which concluded Wednesday at the Augusta Civic Center.
“It was an extremely strong year last year,” said Chris Fogg, CEO of the Maine Tourism Association.
First-time visitors and an increase in Canadian travelers bolstered the numbers.
The tourism industry accounts for 106,000 jobs, or one out of every six in the state. The industry’s economic impact is $9 billion.