PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 20, 2021
Memorial Day weekend is still months away, but Maine’s tourism industry is preparing for a summer many hope will put it firmly on the road to recovery from huge job and revenue losses last year. The state intends to drop many of the travel and occupancy restrictions that kept tourism down last year. Campgrounds, hotels, tours and wedding venues are filling up. And many expect that Maine’s open spaces and low rates of COVID-19 will attract the droves of summer visitors it traditionally welcomes. Reservations for Maine State Park campsites are up 23%, while in-state reservations are up a whopping 91%. The reservation increase is massive, but not surprising given the record-breaking year Maine State Parks had in 2020.