Tourists spent $8.6B in Maine last year, supporting 151,000 jobs
Screenshot / Maine Office of Tourism
Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson said tourism is a contributor to attracting new residents to Maine.
More Information
Maine's total visitor numbers were down 1.5% in 2022, compared with 2021. And tourism spending was down in some categories.
But total direct tourism expenditures were up 10.1% and the total economic impact for the state was up 9.7%. The higher numbers are partly because visitors are staying longer than they used to.
Maine hosted 15.3 million visitors in 2022, down slightly from 15.6 million visitors in 2021.
That’s the latest data from the Maine Office of Tourism, which presented its report this morning at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, a two-day event that winds up Tuesday in Bangor.
In 2022, tourists spent nearly $8.6 billion in Maine, supporting 151,000 jobs and contributing nearly $5.6 billion in earnings to Maine households. Visitors spent 69.8 million days in Maine throughout 2022, up 10.2% from 2021.
As Maine emerged from the pandemic-related restrictions of the previous year, spending in 2022 increased by double digits at restaurants (by 33.4%), overnight accommodations (14.4%) and attractions (18%). Visitors spent less on transportation (down 4.9%) and groceries (down 9.6%).
Visitors to the state saved every Maine household $2,172 in state and local taxes in 2022.
Visitors often become residents
Tourism has become an avenue attracting more residents to Maine as well, said Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson.
“A few years ago, we were having a conversation about tourism assets being the first thing people see when they come to Maine, and it’s a big part of how people decide where to live,” Johnson said. “We’re seeing that across the state.”
Maine had a higher in-migration rate than any other New England state, and the seventh highest in the U.S., she said.
“The population growth is partly driven by experiences they have while they’re here,” Johnson said.
The tourism industry is an important contributor toward in-migration, which in turn boosts the state’s workforce, she said.
“Those people, we hope, also become part of our workforce,” Johnson said. “A lot of times they’re starting remotely, but often they’re quickly moving into Maine’s workforce.”
Speaking to tourism industry stakeholders, she added: “The work you do is a key part of that.”
Hundreds of tourism industry leaders and stakeholders from across the state gathered at the conference, which continues Tuesday afternoon.
Other topics on the agenda include Maine Office of Tourism’s latest marketing strategy that focuses on diversity and inclusion as a long-term priority with the goal of becoming a more inclusive brand that welcomes all and leverages the work of industry partners across the state.
Maine Office of Tourism is launching a Destination Optimization initiative that’s designed to help tourism businesses look beyond paid, earned and owned media to drive visitation.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments