Maine Office of Tourism anticipates busy summer season; visitors seek outdoor experiences

The Maine Workplace of Tourism customer analysis performed in 2021 reported an estimated 10.1 million vacationers from the U.S. and Canada visited Maine on tourism-related journeys final Might by way of August.

Of those guests, 25% have been visiting Maine for the primary time.

State residents additionally loved vacationing in Maine, with residents accounting for roughly 1.6 million of summer time guests to Maine locations in 2021.

Visitation expectations could also be on a par with pre-pandemic numbers in Maine and nationally, however the way in which persons are experiencing Maine has shifted lately as vacationers more and more search for out of doors experiences and discover extra rural places, in accordance with a Might 26 information launch from the Maine Workplace of Tourism.

Whereas the Better Portland and Casco Bay and Maine seashores tourism areas acquired the best variety of guests in summer time 2021, northern Maine areas noticed sizable will increase in summer time visitation in the course of the previous two years in accordance with cell phone monitoring knowledge of arrivals.

Maine Workplace of Tourism analysis reported excessive curiosity in out of doors actions in summer time 2021; 53% of tourists engaged in touring and sightseeing; 40% of tourists loved lively out of doors alternatives; and 34% took half in water actions.

“As extra first-time guests come to Maine and each guests and residents discover the outside in new methods, our objective is to make sure that everybody has a secure and memorable expertise, defending themselves and preserving the pure fantastic thing about our state,” mentioned Steve Lyons, director of the Maine Workplace of Tourism. “One useful resource we encourage folks to make use of is the “LookOutForME” web site that gives recommendations on learn how to be ready when having fun with the Maine outdoor. One other nice asset is Maine’s State Parks system, which supplies entry to the outside to guests of various skills. And eventually, we advocate hiring a Maine Skilled Information as a good way to soundly take pleasure in an immersive expertise within the Maine wilderness.”

Based on the U.S. Journey Affiliation’s April Journey Restoration Insights, demand for home leisure journey is powerful with 92% of American vacationers reporting plans to journey within the subsequent six months. A latest AAA ballot discovered that six in 10 People are planning at the very least one summer time journey, with 35% anticipated to journey extra this summer time than final. These nationwide estimates present particularly encouraging information for Maine, which noticed a 2.4% visitation improve final summer time over Summer time 2019.