MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • April 19, 2020
Hundreds of Maine’s seasonal businesses should be preparing to open for another busy summer. Millions of tourists should be planning trips and seasonal residents should be getting ready to open up summer homes. Instead, the state is under virtual lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The difference between a good and bad summer tourism season has huge implications for Maine’s economy. Maine had more than 37 million out-of-state visits in 2019, and direct tourism spending amounted to $6.5 billion. That’s 10 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Even if the situation stabilizes in time to save the summer, visiting Maine is likely to be an alien experience. People may not feel safe enough to risk hotel stays and restaurant meals.