Officials say tourism generated about $9 billion in revenue for the state last summer.
BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — The numbers are impressive: 8.5 million tourists took overnight trips in Maine last year and spent more than $9 billion, according to the Maine Tourism Office, with the overall impact on Maine’s economy estimated at $16 billion.
While visitor numbers were actually slightly down compared to 2022, tourists stayed longer and spent more last year.
“People are staying longer and spending more,” said Carolyn Ouellet, the tourism board’s director. “It’s not about attracting more tourists, but [about] How visitors spend their time in Maine.”
Ouellette recently assumed the role after 16 years with the department, most recently as director of the Outdoor Recreation Bureau. He succeeds Steve Lyons, the longtime state tourism director and now head of the Maine Film Board.
They say Maine’s tourism industry is booming because so many people want to vacation in the Pine Tree State, and the tourism board and private companies that make up the industry have been able to learn how to take advantage of changes in how the tourism market works.
“I think the biggest change I’ve seen is how we target people and how we market to people,” Lyons said, as he and Ouellette sat on the deck of Brown’s Wharf in Boothbay Harbor, overlooking the docks.
“In the old days, we would put ads in the paper, on TV, on the radio and hope people would see them and come. 1718752218 “A lot of my travel information comes from friends and relatives. A lot of it comes from social media, and even just from people saying, ‘Hey, I heard you went here. I want to go to Maine, too.'”
Lyons said the state and industry are working with data experts to gather information about where travelers are coming from and where they’re going. Surveys and other methods help shed light on travelers’ preferred activities, length of stay and other factors. All of this, Lyons said, is helping them refine marketing efforts, more precisely targeting specific age groups and focusing promotional efforts on specific parts of the country.
At the same time, tourism leaders say people come to Maine for more than just to eat lobster and see moose and lighthouses. “Those things are still important, but a lot of today’s tourists want more than that,” Ouellet said.
“I think the growing cultural vitality across the state has a lot to do with this,” Ouellet commented. “There’s quite a mix of arts, culture and social heritage, and the idea that food is layered on top of that. And for younger people, the notion of a foodie scene, craft breweries and distilleries is definitely starting to layer on top of those elements.”
They say such attractions also help draw tourists to smaller communities that are sometimes far from the tourist mainstream.
“They travel with a purpose,” Lyons said. “They really want to go to smaller communities where they can go into stores and talk to the owners, go to small restaurants and small businesses. [and talk with the owners]”
As more people seek out these experiences, Lyons said the challenge for the state’s destination management plan will be to help communities and businesses accommodate the growing number of visitors while ensuring the essence of a destination’s appeal is not lost.
They say helping communities balance visitation and quality of life will be an ongoing effort, along with encouraging people to visit Maine.
“If you ask someone from New York City if it’s crowded here, they might say it’s not that bad. But if you ask someone who lives here year-round, they might say, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s super crowded here.'”
It’s an indication of why tourism remains perhaps Maine’s largest industry.
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