PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 20, 2023
It was a good summer for some Maine businesses that rely on tourist dollars, but not so great for others that saw foot traffic diminish amid too many rainy weekends. Still, restaurant sales averaged $429 million per month in June, July and August – a 4.9% increase over the summer-month average in 2022, Maine Revenue Services reports. The $302 million monthly average for lodging sales during the same period increased a more modest 1.9% year over year. Meanwhile, the state is seeing a trend toward fewer day trippers, while people who choose to vacation here are staying longer.