As with other parts of the region’s forest-based economy, the tourism industry sometimes needs a hand to leverage the latest technology in support of their businesses. This proved especially true when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down late-winter tourism and severely limited travel for the rest of 2020.

The Center initially offered customized assistance for digital marketing to help tourism businesses improve their bottom lines as a follow up to our Community Destination Academy program, held in Greenville, Rangeley and the Bethel-Mahoosuc area of Maine. When Covid hit, we transitioned to digital trainings and expanded the program to other communities.

By the end of 2020 we had helped 130 tourism-related businesses in Maine and Vermont improve their online presence and digital sales, build long-term resilience, and weather the pandemic through online sales and marketing.

Through the trainings, consultants assessed each company’s online marketing, recommended specific improvements, and helped to implement her recommendations.

The owners of Wilsons Camps took to Facebook to praise the program: