ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – Over 250 tourism professionals gathered to bestow awards and celebrate an outstanding year throughout the state of Maryland and tourism industry. Maryland tourism shows resiliency and honors award recipients from counties across the state, including Howard, Anne Arundel, Annapolis, Washington, Talbot, Charles, Garrett, and St. Mary’s County.
The 41st Annual Maryland Travel & Tourism Summit (MTTS) concluded on November 16, 2022, at the Ocean City Fontainebleau Resort in Ocean City, Maryland. Sponsored and managed by the Maryland Tourism Coalition (MTC), the summit brings together hundreds of public sector leaders in the hospitality industry each year to network and learn new strategies to benefit tourism businesses and the whole state of Maryland.
As part of the informative, three-day event, annual tourism awards were presented to many deserving recipients, including Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC). The outdoor living history museum was awarded “Best Use of Social Media” for their “Larry of St. Mary’s” posts from 2021.
In December 2021, HSMC launched “Larry of St. Mary’s” on social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter). Using “Elf on a Shelf” as inspiration, HSMC staff put together a corn husk doll during a make-and-take opportunity for guests. With a little brown hat, leather pants, and blue shift, the doll echoes the costume of some seen on-site during hours of operation.
Said Sharol Yeatman, HSMC External Relations Manager, “Our little Larry was able to entertain, teach, and bridge the gap to help make the museum relevant to today’s audience as well as tomorrow’s visitors.”