2023 Agenda
Monday, March 27, 2023
Day 1: Meetings @ Cross Insurance Center | Welcome Reception @ Cole Transportation Museum
1:00p
-
2:00p
2:30p
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3:30p
3:45p
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5:00p
Maine Film Office
Film production helps expand awareness of the Maine brand and bring visitors to the state through movies based on books by popular authors like Stephen King and TV shows like Maine Cabin Masters, The Lost Kitchen, and Northwoods Law. Productions want to find locations in Maine, source local goods and services and hire vendors locally. This workshop will offer information on how you can promote your location or business to productions filming in Maine.
Presenter: Karen Carberry-Warhola, Director, Maine Film Office
Workforce Collaborations
Workforce shortages are a national issue for the tourism industry. Learn how the State of Maine and Maine tourism organizations are taking steps to help employers find solutions and connect job seekers with career opportunities.
Moderator: Dr. Marie Hansen
Panelists include: Kathryn Ference, Maine Tourism Association; Derek Fassett, HospitalityMaine; Julia Trujillo Luengo, Maine DECD
Explore Bangor Tours
Tour of Mount Hope Cemetery
Learn little known facts about some of Bangor’s famous—and infamous– residents during our guided tour. Hear about the importance of symbolism in the gravestones and get a chance to take in some of the city’s beautiful vistas. Built in 1834, Bangor’s 300 acre Mount Hope Cemetery is the nation’s second oldest garden cemetery. It was designed by renowned architect Charles G. Bryant as part of a national movement to provide respite from grassless urban landscapes. Garden cemeteries were created as much for living as for those who had passed on. (Tour 3:45p-4:45p)
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Best of Bangor Walking Tour
Bangor is a city rich in history, mystery and powerful events. Perched on the edge of the Maine North Woods and a one-time important harbor, Bangor’s history is filled with tales of lumber barons who struck it rich from her natural resources as well as shipping magnates and manufacturing pioneers. The Best of Bangor tells the stories of our first settlers, the greatest disaster in U.S. Naval History (until Pearl Harbor), the British Occupation during the War of 1812, the Great Fire of 1911 and so much more. (Tour: 3:45p-4:45p)
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Tour of Penobscot Theatre
Once upon a time, Bangor was called the Little Broadway of the North and boasted seven to nine opera houses, all of which sat upwards of 2,000 people. Today, only one remains - The Bangor Opera House which was built in 1920. In 1993 it became the home to Penobscot Theatre Company. As Penobscot Theatre Company approaches their 50th Anniversary they celebrate their 100 year old home. Join them for a guided tour of the historic Bangor Opera House - see the architecture, hear the stories and, if you’re lucky, see one of their three ghosts. (Tour 4:00p-4:30p & 4:30p-5:00p)
3:45p
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4:45p
A Conversation on Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave
This session will offer the opportunity to hear from the Co-Chairs of Maine’s Commission to Study Paid Family and Medical Leave, and share your input. Learn what elements are universally supported, and which need further refinement to make it affordable, accessible and straightforward to utilize by both employers and employees.
Presenters: Senator Matthea Daughtry
5:30p
-
7:00p
Welcome Reception at the Cole Transportation Museum
Join us as we take over the Cole Transportation Museum to kick off the 2023 Governor's Conference on Tourism! Hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Day 2: MOT Report, Learning, Awards Luncheon & Keynote @ Cross Insurance Center
8:30a
-
9:00a
10:15a
-
10:45a
10:45a
-
11:45a
Noon
-
1:00p
Welcome
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Networking Break | Tourism Regions | Headshots
Visit with Maine's Tourism Regions, Conference Sponsors and update your headshot
Breakout Sessions: (repeats in the afternoon)
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Maine for All
The desire to travel is universal regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation and physical abilities. The Maine Office of Tourism is implementing a marketing strategy that focuses on diversity and inclusion as a long-term priority with the goal of becoming a more inclusive brand that welcomes all and leverages the work of industry partners across the state. This session will share ways tourism industry stakeholders are taking steps to make Maine more welcoming to diverse visitors.
Moderated by: Rachel Hailey, DEI Outdoors
Panelists include: Enock Glidden, Maine Trail Finder; Alice Pierce, Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce; Lynn Tillotson, Visit Portland (Travel Unity Summit Northeast)
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Destination Optimization
Marketing to drive demand is only half of the equation for bringing visitors back to Maine’s communities. The Maine Office of Tourism is launching a Destination Optimization initiative that will help tourism businesses look beyond paid, earned and owned media to drive visitation. As potential visitors explore your area or business virtually, out-of-date or uninspiring information on Google, Tripadvisor, and other essential platforms could be inadvertently turning people away. In this session, we’ll look at five essential – and completely free - things you should do to enhance how your destination and business partners appear across these critical platforms.
Presented by: Kim Palmer, Destination Optimization Program Director, Miles Partnership
​
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Outdoor Recreation and Cultural Tourism: Where Discovery Meets Inspiration
Arts, culture, and outdoor recreation are not mutually exclusive in the world of travel. In Maine, arts, culture, and the outdoors are inextricably linked in so many ways which provides destinations and service providers in Maine a unique opportunity for immersive community tourism. Looking at travel trends for 2023, trip offerings from notable operators and case studies of destinations, this session will be a discussion of Maine’s cultural and outdoor recreation landscapes and how connecting them, rather than thinking of them as separate buckets, can help to create remarkable experiences.
Moderated by: Carolann Ouellette, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation; Abbe Levin, Cultural Tourism Consultant
Guest presenters: Seleni Matus, Executive Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies, George Washington University and Jamie Sweeting, President, Planterra
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The Case for Stewardship
A shift in traveler sentiment is underway regarding the impact of tourism on the environment and climate change, with 25% of travelers (and 34% of millennials) now saying they usually or always consider environmental impact in planning a trip, according to Destination Analysts research. This session will take a deep dive into this growing trend and address some of the ways Maine organizations and businesses are facilitating responsible travel for visitors to our state.
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Moderated by: Topaz Smith, World Economic Forum Community Lead, Aviation, Travel & Tourism
Presenters: Myha Gallagher, Destination Analysts, Stephanie Clement, Friends of Acadia, Hope Kohtala and Amalia Siegel, Efficiency Maine, and Rauni Kew, Inn by the Sea
2022 Tourism Awards & Luncheon
1:00p
-
1:45p
Keynote: The Infinite Game
Stephen Shedletzky, The Optimism Company from Simon Sinek
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Finite games, like football or chess, have known players, fixed rules, and a clear endpoint. The winners and losers are easily identified. In infinite games, like business or politics or life itself, the players come and go, the rules are changeable, and there is no defined endpoint. There are no winners or losers in an infinite game, there is only ahead and behind.
Those of us who adopt an infinite mindset build stronger, more innovative and inspiring teams, organizations, careers and lives. Ultimately, those who live with an infinite mindset are the ones who lead the rest of us into the future.
Stephen Shedletzky—or “Shed” to his friends—helps leaders listen and nurture the voice of others. He supports humble leaders that put their people and purpose first, all while knowing they are both a part of the problems they experience and part of the solutions they seek to create.
A sought-after speaker, coach, and advisor, Shed has led hundreds of keynote presentations, workshops, and leadership development programs around the world. As a thought-leader on psychological safety in the workplace, he works with leaders in all industries where human beings work. He is the author of the forthcoming book, SpeakUp Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step up (Page Two, 2023).
3:30p
Conference Concludes
With a Maine-made sweet treat for attendees to enjoy on the way home!
7:30a
-
8:30a
Breakfast
Visit with Maine's Tourism Regions and Conference Sponsors
Maine Office of Tourism Report​
9:00a
-
10:15a
1:45p
-
2:15p
2:15p
-
3:15p
Networking Break | Tourism Regions | Headshots
Visit with Maine's Tourism Regions, Conference Sponsors and update your headshot
Breakout Sessions: (repeated from the morning)
-
Maine for All
The desire to travel is universal regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation and physical abilities. The Maine Office of Tourism is implementing a marketing strategy that focuses on diversity and inclusion as a long-term priority with the goal of becoming a more inclusive brand that welcomes all and leverages the work of industry partners across the state. This session will share ways tourism industry stakeholders are taking steps to make Maine more welcoming to diverse visitors.
Moderated by: Rachel Hailey, DEI Outdoors
Panelists include: Enock Glidden, Maine Trail Finder; Alice Pierce, Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce; Lynn Tillotson, Visit Portland (Travel Unity Summit Northeast)
​
-
Destination Optimization
Marketing to drive demand is only half of the equation for bringing visitors back to Maine’s communities. The Maine Office of Tourism is launching a Destination Optimization initiative that will help tourism businesses look beyond paid, earned and owned media to drive visitation. As potential visitors explore your area or business virtually, out-of-date or uninspiring information on Google, Tripadvisor, and other essential platforms could be inadvertently turning people away. In this session, we’ll look at five essential – and completely free - things you should do to enhance how your destination and business partners appear across these critical platforms.
Presented by: Kim Palmer, Destination Optimization Program Director, Miles Partnership
​
-
Outdoor Recreation and Cultural Tourism: Where Discovery Meets Inspiration
Arts, culture, and outdoor recreation are not mutually exclusive in the world of travel. In Maine, arts, culture, and the outdoors are inextricably linked in so many ways which provides destinations and service providers in Maine a unique opportunity for immersive community tourism. Looking at travel trends for 2023, trip offerings from notable operators and case studies of destinations, this session will be a discussion of Maine’s cultural and outdoor recreation landscapes and how connecting them, rather than thinking of them as separate buckets, can help to create remarkable experiences.
Moderated by: Carolann Ouellette, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation; Abbe Levin, Cultural Tourism Consultant
Guest presenters: Seleni Matus, Executive Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies, George Washington University and Jamie Sweeting, President, Planterra
​
-
The Case for Stewardship
A shift in traveler sentiment is underway regarding the impact of tourism on the environment and climate change, with 25% of travelers (and 34% of millennials) now saying they usually or always consider environmental impact in planning a trip, according to Destination Analysts research. This session will take a deep dive into this growing trend and address some of the ways Maine organizations and businesses are facilitating responsible travel for visitors to our state.
​
Moderated by: Topaz Smith, World Economic Forum Community Lead, Aviation, Travel & TourismPresenters: Myha Gallagher, Destination Analysts, Stephanie Clement, Friends of Acadia, Hope Kohtala and Amalia Siegel, Efficiency Maine, and Rauni Kew, Inn by the Sea