Dann Lewis - From Tourist to Tourism Director

As a tourist, Dann Lewis has visited Maine a number of times, visiting friends on the coast and canoeing in Western Maine.

In 1995, Dann Lewis came to Maine to stay as Director of the Maine Office of Tourism. With an annual budget of just $1.8 million and a 4 person staff, the biggest challenge was to unite private and public interests and promote Maine tourism within the limited budget.

Dann Lewis has lead tourism marketing programs for some well known destinations including the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and played a pivotal role in developing and implementing the well known "I love New York" campaign for the state of New York.

Dann Lewis was hired as Maine Office of Tourism Director due to his broad industry experience, and the King administration's belief that he was an influential team player.

source: "From tourist to tourism director" by Kim Strosnider, Maine Sunday Telegram, 1995, Vol 107 #52

Dann Lewis - Maine's Top Tourist

When reporters begin to call around Labor Day, asking how the tourist season in Maine went, Dann Lewis responds "It hasn't gone anywhere".

Dann Lewis represents New Tourism thinking for Maine. The idea of a Labor Day deadline is Old Tourism thinking.

Dann Lewis came to the Maine Office of Tourism in 1995, and is a career tourism marketing professional. Highlights of Dann Lewis' career include directing the "I Love New York" campaign, tourism chief in the Virgin Islands, building and running a resort in the Bahamas, and operating regional airlines in the Caribbean.

The tourism industry in Maine was not receiving a lot of support from the state prior to Dann Lewis' arrival. Many owners were hesitant to reinvest in their businesses.

"There was no plan, no overall vision, and very little funding," says Dann Lewis, "Maine almost consistently ranked 48th, 49th, or 50th among the states for promotional activity."

Under the leadership of Dann Lewis, and with the support of then Governor Angus King, the legislature tripled the Maine Office of Tourism budget to $4.5 million, and realized a 400% to 500% return on investment in the form of higher tax revenues from the increase in tourism. This marked the first professionally managed tourism marketing effort in the State of Maine.

More than $300 million is contributed to state tax revenues from the tourism industry, and nearly 100,000 full time jobs.

Dann Lewis has shown that for each dollar invested in marketing, the Maine tourism industry receives nearly eleven dollars in return. It pays to market Maine.

Part of Dann Lewis' strategy was to promote Northern and interior Maine, areas of the state in need of economic development. Dann has also encouraged the construction of wilderness lodges for people who want to experience Maine, but don't want to leave their hair dryers behind.

"Dann Lewis has done a wonderful job with bringing Maine up to speed in the tourism business," says Bob Smith of the Sebasco Harbor Resort.

source: "Maine's Top Tourist" by Jeff Clark, Down East Magazine, April 1999