Vacationland. Maine has been known as this since
the 1930s. Tourism has represented a critical component of
the state’s economy for a very long time. Overnight visitors
to Maine spent an estimated $5.8 billion on goods and
services during their trip while day visitors spent a $1.65
billion in the state. There were an estimated 6.2 million
overnight trips and 6.4 million day trips to Maine in 2008,
resulting in 15.4 million overnight visitors and 16.5 million
day visitors to the state.
Bar Harbor. Ogunquit. Sugarloaf. Moosehead
Lake. These are the places that most people identify with
vacationing in Maine. The iconic images of Maine held by
most visitors—lighthouses, crashing ocean surf, majestic
mountains—are of these places.
Aroostook County. It’s Only Natural. The Crown of
Maine. The County. The Other Maine. Last Frontier of the
East. Whatever one calls the region, it is clearly unlike the
rest of Maine. Its vast wilderness areas, unique vistas, diverse
and active cultural history and welcoming people set it apart
from the rest of Maine. But to the tourism world, Aroostook
remains an undiscovered gem. As of 2008, Aroostook was
the primary destination of just three percent of all Maine
tourists. Perhaps more telling is that just five percent visited
Aroostook at all. Other regions in the state see far more passthrough traffic: the Southern Coast was the main destination
of 23 percent of visitors, but 40 percent of all visitors to
Maine stopped there.
Aroostook County’s lack of exposure presents a
unique opportunity for the region to package itself as
a special place to visit. This task will not be an easy one,
however. With this in mind, Northern Maine Development
Commission (NMDC) and Aroostook County Tourism
(ACT) have committed to implementing a strategy for
increasing tourism in the region.
For more information on Aroostook County Tourism,
contact Leslie Jackson at 207-498-8736 or visit our
website at www.visitaroostook.com.
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