REGION — The Mahoosuc Way initiative continues to gain traction as a timely and innovative approach to balancing the needs of the local tourism industry with the interests and carrying capacity of communities and the environment in the towns of Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, and Woodstock.
Building on its support for The Mahoosuc Way and the 2019-20 Community Destination Academy, the Maine Office of Tourism has launched a statewide Destination Management Planning process. This effort will be featured at the upcoming Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Portland on April 13-14, which includes a special Mahoosuc Way session featuring Vern Maxfield from the Town of Woodstock, Barbara Murphy from Mahoosuc Land Trust, and Greg Luetje from Mt. Abram discussing local work to build a sustainable tourism economy.
“As visitation to Maine continues to grow, the Maine Office of Tourism recognizes Destination Management as critical to the long-term health of our tourism industry and our communities,” says Steve Lyons, Director, Maine Office of Tourism. “The Mahoosuc Way is helping to lead the way on this increasingly important issue.”
The Governor’s Conference on Tourism will also provide an opportunity to showcase the new Mahoosuc Way video, which was premiered to an audience of 90 local and regional stakeholders at the February Mahoosuc Way Summit. Follow this link to view the video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjPiDvPp-Nw
The new video gives voice to local hopes and vision for a sustainable tourism economy that creates business and job opportunities while supporting communities and the natural environment. It is the first of a long series of videos to be released later this spring focusing on the five elements of the Embrace Our Place Pledge, which encourages visitors and local residents to express their commitment to behaviors rooted in five core values: Honor this Land; Explore Wisely; Show Respect; Cultivate Community; and Be Climate Conscious.
In addition to The Mahoosuc Way session at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, the Maine Office of Tourism is inviting local residents to participate in one of nine in-person and virtual Town Hall Visioning Sessions for the State’s Destination Management Plan. This is an important opportunity to support and accelerate Maine’s recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and establish a solid foundation and direction for sustainable development of Maine’s tourism and recreation industry.
Information about the upcoming Town Hall Visioning Sessions is available here: https://motpartners.com/additional-resources/destination-management-plan/.
The Mahoosuc Way team encourages anyone who’s interested to mark their calendar and share this opportunity with colleagues, partner organizations, members, and anyone you think will be interested.
Foundational support for The Mahoosuc Way has been provided by more than 30 Mahoosuc area businesses, organizations, and individuals, as well as the Maine Office of Tourism’s Rural Destination Development Program and the Northern Forest Destination Development Initiative – a program of the Northern Forest Center supported by funding from the Northern Border Regional Commission.
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