The Future of Tourism

The tourism and hospitality industry is a leading driver of the Northern Forest economy. From lodging and dining to outdoor recreation, guiding, and shopping, the industry generates more than $14 billion in annual economic activity to the states and tens of thousands of jobs in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont alone.

To remain competitive, the tourism and hospitality industry must continually evolve to meet changing consumer trends and interests. This is especially true today as an increasingly urban clientele seeks digital trip planning resources and experiences that make it easy to experience the boundless outdoor opportunities in the Northern Forest.

In our quest to build an economy that delivers purpose, innovation and widespread opportunity, the Center teamed up with the Maine Woods Consortium in 2019 to complete a deep evaluation of tourism trends and opportunities in the Maine Woods region.

The research project, conducted by the global consulting firm Future iQ, identified opportunities to grow the tourism and hospitality industry in the Maine Woods region from $2.3 billion to $5.6 billion annually.

The final report, titled The Future of Tourism in the Maine Woods, breaks the research into two parts (links below). Download the executive summary.

Part 1 - The Future of Tourism in the Maine Woods: Emerging Trends

This report includes an analysis of key travel and tourism activity trends that will influence future visitation to the Maine Woods. The report addresses issues and trends including:

A rapidly growing global middle class – especially in Asia where 570% growth is projected between 2009 and 2030.
Rapid embrace of technology for researching, booking, reviewing, navigating, sharing travel experiences and more.
Market trends across more than 15 outdoor recreation and experiential travel activities ranging from fishing and hunting to hiking, mountain-biking, skiing, shopping, and culinary tourism.

Download the full report:  Future of Tourism – The Maine Woods – Part 1: Emerging Trends

Part 2 – The Future of Tourism in the Maine Woods: Potential Scenarios & Impact

This report summarizes a scenario exercise conducted by Future IQ with Maine Woods tourism stakeholders in 2018. It evaluates the potential economic and social impacts of alternative Destination Development strategies and identifies gaps and opportunities for the region. Topics and findings include:

Assessment of current economic contributions and potential economic and community benefits of successful destination development – pointing to an opportunity to more than double economic impact from $2.3 billion in 2017 to $5.6 billion in 2030.

Analysis of destination development scenarios highlighting an approach based on “high-touch” experiences and new and emerging markets.
Recommended strategies for high potential rural destination areas, emphasizing “innovative product development” and stakeholder collaboration at the regional and local destination area levels.

Download the full report: Future of Tourism – The Maine Woods – Part 2: Potential Scenarios & Impact

Investing in Maine Tourism