More Than Lobsters and Moose

By TUX TURKEL, Portland Press Herald, Mar 9, 2004

"It must be Maine," targets Northeast residents who have never been to Maine and might be surprised at the diversity of outdoor experiences they can have here.

This image campaign appears to be boosting the state's recognition, according to Dann Lewis, Maine's tourism director. Surveys done last year in southern New England and New York - where the ads are seen on television and in print - suggest that residents who previously thought first of Massachusetts or Vermont are now remembering advertisements for Maine. They also said Maine would be their top choice for vacationing in New England over the next two years.

"It's an early indication that the ad campaign is working," Dann Lewis said.

The campaign being highlighted today by Dann Lewis is noteworthy because out-of-state visitors are responsible for the bulk of travel spending in Maine. Nearly 30 percent of these guests drive here from Massachusetts. Visitors from New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Pennsylvania also come in large numbers.