Friday, March 31, 2023
According to the Maine Office of Tourism, tourism-related trips to the state increased by 10% last year, while hotel nights increased by 18%.
“The resilience of the tourism industry has been key to their success as they face workforce shortages, inflation, and other economic challenges,” Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, said in a statement.
Direct tourist spending exceeded $8.6 billion in 2022, up from $7.8 billion in 2021. The entire economic effect is estimated to be $15.8 billion, with tourism supporting 151,000 employments.
The new statistics was presented at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Bangor on Tuesday.
Other noteworthy statistics include the fact that 78% of visitors stayed one or more nights in Maine last year, an increase of 6% from the prior year. In Maine, Canadian day and overnight travellers accounted for 734,100 people and $413 million in expenditure.
Gov. Janet Mills awarded the 2023 Maine Tourism Awards to Boothbay Harbor Country Club’s Paul Coulombe, the Maine Crafts Association, the Schoodic National Scenic Byway Committee, and the Husson University College of Commerce, Department of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management.
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