BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 14, 2022
Tourists in Maine spent $1.3 billion more last year than they did before the pandemic in 2019 even though there were almost 1 million fewer visitors, with early activity signaling another huge summer tourism season. More than 15.6 million visitors spent more than $7.8 billion in the state in 2021, according to data released Thursday by the Maine Office of Tourism. Tourism is a major contributor to Maine’s economy, with a total economic impact of almost $14.5 billion in 2021, up 61 percent over the first year of the pandemic marked by economic restrictions. The industry supports about 143,100 jobs, about 21 percent of employment in the state.