MAINE (ORONO) CAMPUS • October 28, 2024
A 2022 census states that there were 1,385,340 people living in the state. However, in that same year, 15.3 million people visited Maine. That is just over 11 times as many people that visited than those who reside here. This is a huge ratio, and it’s causing problems for the residents of Maine. One of the biggest issues with tourism in Maine is the effect it has on climate change. Climate change is already greatly affecting Maine’s ecosystems and coastal areas, and tourism can contribute to climate change both through air and car travel. Maine is working to promote ecotourism, which focuses primarily on minimizing the impact of tourism on the environment within the state. These efforts will in no way undo the damage that’s already been done, nor will they be able to prevent much more damage without the overall number of tourists decreasing. ~ Logan Thomas