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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 A P R I L 1 9 , 2 0 2 1 F O C U S R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / E N G I N E E R I N G in January about how the COVID-19 crisis and the recovery are shaping the global economy. It found that people who travel for pleasure will want to get back to doing so, because of the "very human desire to explore and to enjoy," while business travel will take longer to bounce back. An American Express report released in March paints a similar picture. Out of 3,000 travelers in the United States and six other countries surveyed in January, 87% said that having a trip planned in the future gives them something to look forward to, while 56% said they miss travelling so much they are willing to book a trip now even if that means having to cancel later. As air travel starts to pick up nationwide, the Portland International Jetport is poised to draw more visitors to Bon Appetit magazine's 2018 "City of the Year," with new summer routes by United, American, Frontier and others taking off. at makes the timing "perfect" for three new hotels in Portland, in the eyes of Greg Mitchell, the city's economic development director, who says that each will bring a different experi- ence for visitors. He also points to the strong track records of the owners and operators. "ese are people with a long history in Portland that understand Portland and are committed to Portland for the long range," he says. "at in itself has been a huge level of confidence for me — despite the pandemic, they're proceeding with their projects." Unconcerned about overdevelopment in tourism, he adds, "Our economy is strong and diversi- fied, and it's just getting stronger and more diversified." Visit Portland President and CEO Lynn Tillotson says booking trends point to a strong 2021 season driven by leisure travelers. "Tourism drives the vitality of our region, and it's the vitality that drives businesses to develop here and people to choose to live here," she says. "Tourism is essential to our success." ose behind the new hotels com- ing online in 2021 are determined to stake their claim in a competitive market that will continue to get more crowded, not just in Portland but also in Westbrook, Scarborough and South Portland. "ere's a competitive market because there's a need," notes Joseph Since 1989 Local Decisions Be Budget! 800.924.4229 www.bdtme.com Problems Solved. Budget Document Technology is an industry leader in providing digital solutions for document creation, production, and distribution. • Multi-functional Color & B&W Copiers • Printers & Scanners • Postage & Mailing Equipment • Software & Network Solutions • Managed Print Services Helping Maine get business done! Portland, ME dunhamgroup.com 207.773.7100 Local Knowledge. Regional Focus. Global Reach. Even in uncertain times, we're still in the habit of making ideas become reality for Maine businesses and business owners. Let's chat about how we can help shape your future. CONTACT OUR EXPERTS Mainers make it better. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E »