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Despite Stormy Economy, Tourism Results Fairly Sunny

September 03, 2008 - OGUNQUIT — From the parking booth in Perkins Cove, Paul Daignault can monitor various barometers of the local tourism industry: the motorists looking for a spot to park, the passengers on the trolley, the size of the beach crowd and the length of the line outside Barnacle Billy's seafood restaurant.

He's seen how gas prices have cut into tourist traffic, how the Canadian presence has grown with the strength of its dollar and how the crowds have waned with wet weather but bounced back when the sun reappears.

"The mood -- it's not bad," Daignault said on a bright day earlier this week. "When the sun is out like this, they're really, really happy."

High gasoline prices, rainy weather and a shaky economy have had mixed effects on the various parts of Maine's tourism industry this summer. Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of the season, is expected to be a high point, partly due to favorable weather and dipping gas prices.

"I think overall, we've held our own," said Pat Eltman, director of the Maine Office of Tourism.

Figures on tourism-related revenue aren't available yet, but anecdotal information suggests that southern Maine and Bar Harbor enjoyed a strong season, while interior areas and the northern midcoast did not fare as well, said Greg Dugal, executive director of the Maine Innkeepers Association.

The summer season overall might end up equal to last year's, which was very good, he said. But while revenue is flat, expenses are up for his members, in part because of high fuel costs, he said.

"I think all in all, it's going to be a good year," he said. "To some extent, we dodged a bullet."

Chris Fogg, executive director of the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, said the summer started with concerns about how the high cost of gas and heating fuel would affect people's discretionary income. But he said those turned out not to be problems, and the season was very strong.

"It hasn't affected us at all," he said.

Businesses with advance reservations, such as hotels, bed and breakfasts and boat-rental places, did well, said Mike McClellan, executive director of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. But overall, he believes business was a bit down.

One of his measures is traffic.

"It never really was hard to make a left-hand turn," he said.

Rick Abare, executive director of the Maine Campground Owners Association, said inland and northern campgrounds had some difficulties because of wet weather, but the southern coast, the midcoast and Bar Harbor did quite well.

Canadian traffic was strong all summer, and made its way farther inland than in the past, Abare said.

"There are more everywhere because the dollar is so good for them," he said.

Cliff Stevens, owner of Moxie Outdoor Adventures, a rafting outfitter based in the Forks, expected to see more foreign visitors this year. Instead, an increase in Maine clients helped make for a "fantastic season" that didn't suffer in the rain, he said.

"They were here, and they were going to do something," he said.

Maine Turnpike traffic has been down about 5.4 percent this summer compared to last year. This weekend, northbound traffic at the York toll plaza is expected to be down 3 or 4 percent.

Passenger volumes at the Portland International Jetport, meanwhile, have been up for 15 months straight, and August is expected to be up as well. The airport had 1,009,676 passengers in July, up 11. 5 percent from the year before.

Marketing Director Gregory Hughes credited the arrival of AirTran and JetBlue, which he said has led to competitive fares.

"Unlike most airports, we're adding additional seats, and we're filling them," he said.

In Ogunquit, visitors strolled along Marginal Way, browsed for T-shirts and enjoyed ice cream in Rotary Park.

Michael Weinstein, a doctor from Newton, Mass., was painting a scene of boats in Perkins Cove.

"I like to paint; this is an ideal place," he said. "It's not too far from Boston. And beautiful weather like this -- you can't complain."

Eliza Jacobs, sitting in the back of a pickup truck advertising fishing trips on the Bunny Clark, said trips this summer have not been filled as consistently as they were in the past.

John Hubacz, manager of the Above Tide Inn, was expecting the holiday weekend to provide a boost to a pretty quiet season.

From behind the counter of the Whistling Oyster jewelry and gift shop, Angelina Pollino characterized the summer as decent.

"We actually did pretty well -- not as much as we would like," she said.

Karen Arel, executive director of the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce, said members benefitted this year from working hard to reduce expenses, concentrating on customer service and taking advantage of low-cost advertising, like a new e-mail newsletter promoting happenings around town.

"Sometimes you're not dealt a good hand," she said. "If we're dealt that hand, let's play it to the best of our ability."

By ANN S. KIM, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, August 30, 2008


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