PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 5, 2022
Labor Day marks the unofficial end of a summer tourism season that brought both large numbers of visitors and challenges to businesses, among them labor shortages and supply chain issues. There was concern at the start of the season that workforce challenges, high gas prices and inflation could torpedo Maine’s summer tourism season, the industry’s highest earning period of the year. Restaurateurs and seasonal businesses struggled to find enough workers and had to cut back open hours. Gas prices and inflation took a bite out of tourism, with 66 percent of respondents saying they traveled less over the summer and 80 percent saying they cut back on spending. Despite those concerns, people shelled out more than $2 billion on lodging and restaurants between January and June. Officials from the Maine Turnpike Authority expected record numbers of travelers over the weekend.