WHAT:  National Tourism Week kicks off May 7 and goes through May 15. National Tourism Day is Wednesday, May 11, 2011 and will be celebrated throughout the country as well as the State of Maryland by tourism businesses and professionals with a wide range of individual events, promotions and activities. National Tourism Day is an ideal way to affirm the significant value that tourism brings to Maryland’s workforce and economy.
 
WHERE: Individual counties as well as businesses are hosting events during Tourism Week that residents and travelers can enjoy. Harford County is presenting a series of lectures, a garden tour and War of 1812 reenactment among other events. Counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland are hosting a range of events from educational clinics and discussions to schooner sailing, boat building programs, plays and painting classes and Worcester County is kicking off Springfest. More Eastern Shore events can be found at ShoreUpdate.com. The Montgomery County events calendar is also packed with events that appeal to a wide audience from workshops to concerts, family activities and more. Specific event information can be found on the event page of Maryland county websites.
 
WHEN: While events for National Tourism Week begin on Saturday, May 7 and run through May 15, as the 2011 tourism season ramps up many more activities will continue to be available throughout the State for the balance of the year.
 
WHY: Tourism works for Maryland. In February 2011 more than 13,600 travelers visited Maryland Welcome Center locations; Amtrak recorded 59,900 non-commuter arrivals; BWI served 682,154 domestic passenger arrivals; and fiscal year sales tax revenues increased across all tourism related categories from FY2010 July-February to FY2011 July-February. Tourism Week and Tourism Day are great opportunities to pause and reflect upon the significance of tourism to Maryland’ economy and jobs  Tourism related jobs saw the same positive increase as sales tax revenues during the same fiscal year periods with the total leisure and hospitality industry providing 209,300 jobs. Tourism Week is yet another way to acknowledge that with the proper levels of investment of promotional funding, tourism can, and will, generate even more revenue for local and state governments.
 
For more information on the Maryland Tourism Council visit mdtourism.com; for more information on National Tourism Week visit ustravel.org.
 
 
The Maryland Tourism Council represents all segments of the tourism and travel industry, focuses on enhancing business growth and promotes development of Maryland tourism.