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Small Cecil County has big ambitions for growth
Cecil County leaders are seeking a new reputation as a destination with attractive amenities, first-rate infrastructure and an appealing mix of jobs.
Omicron variant unravels travel industry’s plans for a comeback
Tourism businesses that were just finding their footing after nearly two years of devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic are being rattled again.
Tourism, conference turnout surpass Visit Baltimore’s FY21 goals
Tourism in Baltimore had a stronger-than-anticipated year, surpassing goals for hotel occupancy and conferences that Visit Baltimore, the city’s tourism bureau, set just a few months into the pandemic. While the statistics pale compared to the numbers reported prior to the pandemic, they nonetheless reflect an uptick in one of Baltimore’s vital economic activities. According […]
Judge to rule on injunction for Ocean City ban on female toplessness
A federal judge was skeptical of a legal challenge to Ocean City’s ordinance banning female toplessness on its beaches at a hearing Friday as town officials testified to the numerous calls, emails and conversations they had with concerned residents and visitors. Several women filed suit against the town in U.S. District Court in Baltimore in […]
Tourism spending up in Maryland even as visitors drop
Maryland officials say tourism spending increased in 2017, despite a drop in overall visitors.
Opponents of Ocean City topless ban ask judge to stay ordinance
The female plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit over Ocean City's ban on female topless sunbathing are seeking an injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the ordinance.
Airbnb users brought $42 million to Md. last year
Airbnb continued to grow in the Maryland market last year, with around 265,000 visits bringing in more than $42 million. In 2017, the short-term rental service said it booked 151,000 stays in Maryland, totaling more than $25 million. “Home sharing through Airbnb continues to be a unique and flexible way for Maryland families to make […]
Baltimore tourism increased last year despite challenges
Baltimore welcomed more visitors who spent more money last year than the year before, Visit Baltimore President and CEO Al Hutchinson said at the tourism agency’s annual meeting Tuesday at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel. In 2016, the city welcomed 25.9 million visitors who spent $5.6 billion, according to Visit Baltimore’s annual report. In […]
No Trump slump in tourism but there could be a Trump bump
Last winter, the U.S. tourism industry fretted that Trump administration policies might lead to a “Trump slump” in travel. But those fears may have been premature. International arrivals and travel-related spending are up in 2017 compared with the same period in 2016. There might even be a “Trump bump,” says Roger Dow, CEO of the […]
For many Marylanders, vacation isn’t on their calendars
Marylanders aren’t using all of their vacation time, and tourism and business officials are taking notice. According to a study released last week by Project: Time Off, of the U.S. Travel Association, 58 percent of Marylanders leave some of their vacation time unused, compared to 54 percent nationally. The state ranks 17th worst in the […]
Western Md. fracking fight reveals divergent economic visions
Third in an occasional series on rural Maryland Editor’s Note July 19, 2017: An earlier version of this story used an incorrect name for a manufacturing plant that once operated in Allegany County. The plant was run by the Celanese Fiber Company, not Selney’s Nylon. CUMBERLAND, Maryland — Allegany and Garrett, the state’s two westernmost […]
Md. tourism chief: ‘Everything tastes better here’
Wini Roche, executive director of the Maryland Tourism Coalition, discusses where tourists to the state come from and what brings them here.
