The Canadian maple leaf flag cast a long shadow over the annual Maine Governor’s Tourism Conference in Bangor on April 16-17. Following President Donald Trump saying he wanted to make the country to the north the 51st U.S. state and imposing trade tariffs, fears among the Maine tourism industry were rampant.
Speaking to some 400 attending on April 17, Gov. Janet Mills addressed the looming worry: “Hopefully, we’ll be successful in drawing visitors from all countries, including Canada,” she said, prompting applause.
“Welcome home,” she continued, alluding to those perennial visitors. “You’re safe here, you’re welcome here.”
The industry has weathered the storm of the COVID pandemic, Mills said, and should be poised to see growth.
“You worked hard to maintain Maine’s reputation as a safe place,” she told those who work in the tourism sector. Mills also highlighted an ancillary benefit of a strong visitation: Maine had the highest rate of in-migration in New England, she said.
The numbers from 2024 were down from 2023, with 14.8 million visiting the state, a 3.1% dip. But the Maine Office of Tourism noted that the state “attracted a higher-value visitor with average visitor spending increasing by 5% to $624, resulting in direct visitor spending of $9.2 billion.”
Typical visitors stayed 4.5 nights, with lodging revenue up by 1% over 2023.
An estimated 797,900 Canadians visited Maine in 2024, the tourism office reported.
“We’re once again facing a great uncertainty,” Mills said. “Our Canadian neighbors say they feel unwelcome in our state. We can’t let that happen.”
The governor has been speaking to the premiers of the Atlantic provinces, she continued, asserting that “Maine and Canada have a cherished relationship.”
Maine saw a 14% drop in visitors arriving by air in 2024, she said.
In a break-out session on attracting international travelers, Kerrie Tripp of Discover New England described her organization’s efforts. Discover New England does not work on marketing in Canada, she said, because each New England state has its own plan.
In 2024, 3.8 million international visitors came to New England, Tripp said, spending $6.4 billion. The organization targets European countries, including the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy as well as Mexico and Japan.
“Mexico is really a focus for us,” she said, “especially Mexico City. Mexico City has a lot of wealth.” Aeromexico has daily flights to Boston, she added.
Visitors from outside North America spend on average $2,716 per trip to New England, five times what Canadians spend.
“Sixty percent of the spend is coming from overseas international visitors,” Tripp said. “Yes, we’re seeing Canadians cancel reservations,” but not overseas visitors. “Overseas visitors stay longer, spend more, and don’t cancel.”
Overseas visitors increased by 10.3% over 2023, she said, totaling 1.3 million.
Among the tips she offered lodging operators in room were:
• Guarantee rates up to two years out
• Avoid block-out dates
• Rates should include all fees
• Train the “front of house” staff on different language greetings and on handling vouchers provided by tour operators.
She also urged them to “promote you area, not your business,” and offer packages and special experiences, like a guided tour or a cooking lesson.
“It is about making them feel like they are the most important person in front of you right now,” Tripp said, and such an approach doesn’t come with hard costs.
Trends to watch for this year include: wellness-focused travel, culinary, off-season travel, and solo travel.
Tripp also described how she meets with international tour operators, including 65 who attended a recent Discover New England summit.
“Most European travelers use and continue to use tour operators,” she said, and many of the EU countries insure their trips.
