Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 J U N E 2 9 , 2 0 2 0 F O C U S H O S P I TA L I T Y / T O U R I S M to 100 product, service and retail brands within three years of launching. "So many companies connected to the outdoors are building on the strong outdoor heritage we have in Maine, but blending it with this culture of innovation as well," She says. rough a new online campaign, the group is promoting camping and other outdoor activities with the message: "Adventure close to home this summer and dis- cover more of Maine." While it remains to be seen whether staycations will be enough to save Vacationland and its $7 billion tour- ism industry, experts agree that Maine's innovation-fuelled outdoor brand cachet is stronger than ever. No. 3 state for outdoor recreation Even before the pandemic, out- door recreation was big in Maine, as reflected in a recent report by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis. It shows that the $3 billion sector makes up 4.8% of the state's economy, more than double the 2.2% national average. at puts Maine in the No. 3 spot after Hawaii and Montana for a sector that supports 40,720 jobs in the state or 6.4% of Maine's total and provides close to $1.4 billion in wages and earnings. e vast majority of outdoor dollars come from private industry, which gen- erated $2.8 billion in 2017. Maine is also one of only 17 states with a government depart- ment focused on outdoor recreation. Maine's Office of Outdoor Recreation was created by Gov. Janet Mills to expand the sector and help build the state's outdoorsy image. "e pandemic has accelerated the work in some ways as connecting busi- nesses to resources has been critical," says Director Carolann Ouellette. She considers the "Maine" cachet to be incredibly valuable to out- door pursuits owing in part to a rich heritage of well-respected brands like L.L.Bean, Registered Maine Guides, Old Town and Shaw & Tenney. "e attributes that embody Maine are so aligned with outdoor recreation and the people in the industry — independent, resourceful, creative, innovative, one-of-a-kind and resilient," Ouellette says. 'Collaborative space' Kordick, Maine Outdoor Brands's first-ever executive director, says there is plenty of room for more members — and more market entrants. "We have the space to grow, and as more companies are grounded here and get established here, we also are creating this amazing network of resources and knowledge that is only going to grow and strengthen over time," she says. "It is a very collaborative space." In the latest example of that, two Portland startups — Back40 and the Trail Van — have joined forces to launch Summer Camp Kits, a curated collection of gear and backyard activities for kids who would otherwise miss out on real summer camp this year. ree packages are available, for a weekend ($189), one week ($329) and two-week session ($489), with three activity options to choose from: backyard ecology, nature art and a campfire kit with stories, s'mores fixings and a guide to campfire games. BEFORE 10 400W Metal-halide Fixtures 458W (Wattage) x 4,380 Annual Hours of Use = $3,000 Annual Operating Cost (at $0.15 per kWh) Sample Project AFTER 10 300W LED Pole-Mount Fixtures 306W (Wattage) x 4,380 Annual House of Use = $2,000 Annual Operating Cost (at $0.15 per kWh) ESTIMATED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $1,000 Sample Project START SAVING NOW Limited-time promotion to upgrade parking lot and exterior pole lights. Find out more at efficiencymaine.com/at-work/lighting-solutions/ or by speaking with your lighting contractor. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » 2.0 4.2 2.7 2.3 1.9 3.3 1.4 1.8 1.2 4.5 – 5.4 4.2 – 4.4 3.1 – 3.3 2.5 – 2.9 2.0 – 2.4 1.2 – 1.9 4.3 2.2 5.4 3.2 1.8 2.8 1.9 1.8 2.1 2.5 4.8 1.8 1.7 2.0 2.7 2.4 2.2 5.1 1.9 2.8 3.3 1.9 2.5 1.6 2.2 2.3 1.6 2.0 2.9 1.8 2.3 3.1 2.7 2.1 2.1 3.3 4.5 1.8 2.2 2.0 2.4 4.4 S O U R C E : U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2017 OUTDOOR RECREATION VALUE ADDED: PERCENT OF STATE GDP

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