Tourism Industry

Crisfield, the hub of Maryland's crab industry, was severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The owners of Golden Ring Transportation, with some assistance of the Maryland Office of Tourism Development, are putting together a grassroots relief effort for the affected areas. A Golden Ring motorcoach will be parked in front of the National Aquarium on Friday, 6-10 a.m., accepting donations of food, clothing, blankets, toys, portable heaters, furnishings, cleaning supplies. Cash donations will be accepted, too, as will gently used items.

Seismic testing for oil and gas off Maryland and other Atlantic coast states could cause widespread harm to whales, dolphins, sea turtles and fish, as well as to fishing and tourism, an environmental group warned Tuesday. Oceana said the federal government's own environmental impact statement estimates 138,500 whales and dolphins could be injured if seismic "airguns," which generate blasts of noise underwater, are used to explore for oil and gas along the Atlantic coast.  The Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is weighing applications to conduct offshore seismic testing from Delaware to Florida.

Maryland's tourism industry generates about $5 billion annually to the state economy, and Gov. William Donald Schaefer wants state resident to do more to attract returning visitors."

Crisfield, the hub of Maryland's crab industry, was severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The owners of Golden Ring Transportation, with some assistance of the Maryland Office of Tourism Development, are putting together a grassroots relief effort for the affected areas. A Golden Ring motorcoach will be parked in front of the National Aquarium on Friday, 6-10 a.m., accepting donations of food, clothing, blankets, toys, portable heaters, furnishings, cleaning supplies. Cash donations will be accepted, too, as will gently used items.

Maryland's tourism industry moves into prime time this weekend. As always, the stakes are sizable. The trade generates $4.6 billion in annual sales.State officials estimate that 16 percent of all retail sales tax revenue is derived from travel. Last year innkeepers, restaurateurs and retailers reported mixed results. Resorts did well, but the baseball strike hurt Baltimore businesses.What kind of summer are tourism officials expecting this year?Mary Jo McCullochExecutive director, Maryland Tourism CouncilFrom what I'm hearing, the summer will be a very good one. I'm told that many hotels in the area are looking forward to capacity crowds throughout most of the summer, particularly on the weekends.

Baltimore's tourism industry is revving up for the opening of the National Aquarium's new Australian pavilion in anticipation of a jump in visitors lured by crocodiles, venomous snakes and a thundering 35-foot waterfall - and its tie-in to a popular cable channel. The $74.6 million addition, "Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes," is set to open Dec. 16, immersing visitors in a world that few will see in a lifetime. The hand-carved habitat, intricately painted with pale lichens and scorch marks depicting lightning-sparked fires, will be home to 1,800 individual native animals representing 120 species - including freshwater crocodiles, turtles, fishes, free-flying birds and flying foxes.

In the next two years, Howard County business leaders say they want to see a major growth spurt in Howard County's infant tourism industry -- and are counting on the Ellicott City-based tourism office to lead the way.That office, recently relocated to the basement of the Post Office building on Main Street, is supposed to help Howard pull in a heftier chunk of the state's $5.9 billion tourism industry.For it to succeed, however, the county will have to make a bigger investment in promoting the tourism industry, which amounts to an estimated $119 million benefit to the local economy, said Karen Justice, executive director of the Tourism Council.

In coming months, the region faces critical decisions that could determine the future of Baltimore's convention center and shape the area's tourism industry for years to come. Baltimore should learn whether a long-awaited convention center hotel will finally get off the ground. Change is expected at the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, which just concluded a tumultuous year in which it underwent a top-to-bottom review of its operations. And the fate of Baltimore's children's museum, Port Discovery, may become clear as the financially troubled institution mulls a new home and tries to attain stability.

Warning that Baltimore's $1 billion-a-year tourism industry is at risk of "severe erosion," an influential business group is recommending a new restaurant tax to raise some $2.5 million a year to promote and market the city.The Greater Baltimore Committee is proposing the 1 percent tax on tabs at about 125 restaurants in a "tourism district" that would include the Inner Harbor, Convention Center and Camden Yards areas, as well as Little Italy, Fells Point, Federal Hill, Mount Vernon and Charles Village.

SHEILA Eberhardt kicked off the year with a weeklong vacation in Ocean City and then headed to Old Town in Alexandria, Va., in February. She dashed over to Williamsburg, Va., in March. In April, she invited a grandson and his buddies to spend a week in Savannah, Ga., before returning to Williamsburg for another week. In June, she sent three of her seven children to visit a sister in Hawaii. "It seems like I'm a millionaire," she said. She's not. Eberhardt is a 70-year-old retired schoolteacher from Annapolis who has owned timeshares since the mid-1980s.

An estimated 34.4 million people visited Maryland in 2011, an increase of 6.8 percent over 2010, according to results of a survey released Thursday. Margot A. Amelia, executive director of the state's office of tourism, said a refocused advertising strategy has lured travelers from nearby cities. "In 2008 we made a pretty significant change and started reaching out year-round, and directing all of our efforts to people in three broadcast markets: Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia," Amelia said after a press conference at the Ellicott City Station of the B&O Railroad Museum.

Harford County Tourism Manager Winifred Roche is one of four new members of the Maryland Tourism Development Board recently appointed by Gov. Martin O'Malley. The board, which represents hospitality and tourism industry leadership from across the state, guides and supports the work of the Maryland Office of Tourism. By General Assembly authority, the board has broad policy powers to guide the direction of all activities necessary to develop and market the Maryland as a destination.

Marta Mossburg's "Convention Center expansion: Build it and they won't come" (June 8) offers a roadmap for destroying Baltimore as a tourist destination. Imagine Baltimore without Harborplace, the Aquarium, the Science Center, M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards , the Convention Center and the Marriott Waterfront, Hyatt and Sheraton hotels. These public-private investments put Baltimore on the tourism map and drive tax revenue into the city. Tourism is one of the largest industries in the city.

April 18 was a sad day for Baltimore and for Maryland as we marked the passing of William Donald Schaefer. We would like to express our deepest sympathies to his family and friends and publicly express our eternal gratitude for the leadership and vision that he brought to tourism in Baltimore. Each and every person employed in the Baltimore tourism industry has Mr. Schaefer to thank for the opportunities presented to them. We are all employed today due to his vision. Where others saw dilapidated warehouses, he saw possibility, and his tenacious pursuit of that vision turned Baltimore into one of the top tourism cities in the country.

If cleaning up our ecosystems for the health of the planet doesn't motivate action, perhaps we should consider this: investing in our ecosystems is investing in future tourism. Tourism, which brings in millions of dollars to our local economies, relies on a clean environment. People expect to come to Maryland and Virginia to eat local crabs and local oysters, says Alison Prost, Maryland office attorney with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Fishing guides, including outfitters along Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia's rivers, must have healthy fish and clean water to attract business.

OCEAN CITY - For the first time in its 50-year history, the Castle in the Sand Hotel in Ocean City is rolling back its rates. This summer, rooms will cost the same as in 2006, saving guests about $20 a night. "We just recognize that it's a tough time for everybody," general manager Carol Dickel said in an interview at the hotel with its trademark crenelated tower. Dickel says she has never been more "apprehensive" in her 14 years on the staff. Bookings for the summer have been decent but are softer than last year, and 2008 was hardly a banner season for the hotel - or for the town's vital hospitality sector.

Havre de Grace is seeking 15 volunteers for its new Tourism Advisory Board. The volunteers will assist Wini Roche, the city's tourism and marketing manager, in developing the tourism industry in Havre de Grace. Mayor David Craig will make appointments to the board. Candidates must apply before Friday. Applications are available at the Havre de Grace City Hall and visitors center. The board will meet monthly. For more information, call Roche at 410-939-2100.

April 18 was a sad day for Baltimore and for Maryland as we marked the passing of William Donald Schaefer. We would like to express our deepest sympathies to his family and friends and publicly express our eternal gratitude for the leadership and vision that he brought to tourism in Baltimore. Each and every person employed in the Baltimore tourism industry has Mr. Schaefer to thank for the opportunities presented to them. We are all employed today due to his vision. Where others saw dilapidated warehouses, he saw possibility, and his tenacious pursuit of that vision turned Baltimore into one of the top tourism cities in the country.

SCORE holds business plan-writing workshop SCORE Chapter 390 will be conducting a one-day workshop, "Let's Prepare a Business Plan," from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday at the Big Vanilla Athletic Club, Community Meeting Room, 1209 Ritchie Highway, Arnold. The workshop includes help with preparing a business plan and confidential counseling. The cost is $60 and includes lunch. Registration is required. Information: 410-266-9553. Tourism leaders recognize county visitors bureau Tourism industry leaders recognized the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau at the 28th Annual Maryland Governor's Tourism Industry Conference.