Maryland Tourism Business Rebounding as Pandemic Restrictions Ease – CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) – After a big blow last year, the Maryland tourism industry rebounds as pandemic restrictions ease.

“We expect the summer to be very busy,” said Pete Mangione, general manager of Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City. “We see that indivisible parcels have been picked up. You know, there were a lot of people who couldn’t go on vacation last year, so we had a lot of locals who just came here. “

Thousands of tourism jobs in Maryland have been lost and travel spending in the state fell 43 percent in 2020, but much of the industry is starting to regain the lost momentum.

“We no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are in the light,” said Tom Riford, the state’s deputy trade minister. “Things are very busy. Our bookings are high. Tourism spending is coming back and we’re creating lots of jobs in Maryland’s economy. “

Some areas of the industry that did well last year, such as golf at Turf Valley Resort, continue to do well.

“Golf has been very, very busy the whole time,” said Mangione. “Our members who normally play play one day a week. The people who played one day a week now play twice a week. “

Eastern Watersports in Middle River is also experiencing a business boom after many came out last year to try water sports during the pandemic.

“We definitely had a lot of people who would not normally have chosen to go kayaking and paddleboarding. They were just looking for everything they could do, ”said Philip DePalo, the owner of the company.

Maryland State Parks saw a huge increase in visitor numbers in 2020 as people tried to leave the house. The Department of Commerce Tourism Bureau said visitor numbers increased 45% in 2020 compared to 2019.

The number of visitors has also increased at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore.

“People are ready to get off. And so we have seen increasing numbers here at the museum during the month of May and into June, said Terri Freeman, the museum’s executive director.

State officials say anyone who wants to go on a trip to Maryland can go there visitmaryland.org to learn more about sights and activities to try out.