Maine Office of Tourism Destination Management Plan

In January 2022, the Maine Office of Tourism began work on creating a state-wide destination management plan. Together with Maine tourism industry stakeholders and residents, the MOT worked to establish a plan that supports destination stewardship and balances our industry’s growth with residential quality of life and the inherent qualities that have always drawn visitors to Maine.

Tourism is an important economic engine for Maine with an estimated 15.4 million visitors in 2022 and direct expenditures of approximately $8.6 billion.

To ensure the sustainability of tourism in Maine, a destination management plan was designed that balances the tourism economy with natural resource and cultural stewardship to protect the DNA of our State now and for the future.  The state recognizes that supporting quality of life for Maine residents is key to supporting a quality experience for our visitors.

View/Download – Maine Office of Tourism Destination Management Plan

Additional Materials: 
A Practical Guide to Destination Stewardship and Sustainable Tourism

Project Timeline

PHASE I – GET CLEAR
January – May 2022

The Get Clear phase sets the stage for a successful planning process through the development of a comprehensive Situation Assessment, which includes an analysis of  foundational research, additional research conducted, and an assessment of themes and strategic implications tied to the full range of inputs gathered through a robust statewide, region-by-region stakeholder engagement process.

Phase I – April/May 2022 – Town Hall Visioning Summits

The MOT hosted a series of Town Hall Visioning Summits at the locations listed below.

4/4/22 – Samoset Resort, Rockport (in-person)
4/13/22 – Governor’s Conference on Tourism (in-person)
4/20/22- Aroostook County Tourism Summit – Presque Isle (in-person)
4/27/22 – Virtual Session
5/3/22 – Virtual Session
5/10/22 – Portland (in-person)
5/12/22 – Virtual Session
5/17/22 – Virtual Session
5/24/22 – Bangor (in-person)

 
 

PHASE II – GET FOCUSED
June – December 2022

In the Get Focused phase, the strategy team will bring together everything learned in the Get Clear phase to shape the key elements of MOT’s Destination Management Plan and achieve the intended outcomes. The Get Focused phase is organized in a series of facilitated work, each designed to build upon one another to construct the Destination Management Plan.

Maine Tourism Situation Assessment Report

Tourism Advisory Panel Slides- June 16, 2022
Tourism Advisory Panel Slides – September 15, 2022

 
 

PHASE III – GET MOVING
January 2023 – present

The Get Moving phase will be focused on bringing the Destination Management Plan to life through effective implementation. This phase will include designing an effective plan management program, equipping initiative teams to do their best work, establishing the right plan reporting method & cadence, and creating a comprehensive statewide communications plan with regional consideration.

Questions?

Send us an email at [email protected]