ROCKLAND, Maine — With a tease of warm weather in the middle of March, Maine businesses are starting to look ahead to the upcoming tourism season. For many, there is hope that this year will be better than last year, and will help make up for some of the pandemic's brutal impact.
Rockland's Jocelyn Schmidt and Justin Schaefer haven't yet experienced a summer season as business owners. In February, they officially signed papers to become the new owners of Schooner J & E Riggin, a 1927 oyster schooner that has been entertaining visitors for nearly a century. The couple says they started talking about the purchase back in 2017 and saved enough money to make it happen by working on yachts in Florida.
"It's pretty hard to describe the feeling of finally being able to do something you've been working toward for as long as we've been working towards this," Schmidt, the boat's operating manager, says.
"You want to do the boat and its legacy justice," Schaefer noted, also expressing his excitement at becoming a captain -- a dream of his as a kid.
This upcoming summer, the couple will be offering similar cruises that were available in the past -- only this year, mask regulations and more intense cleaning protocols will be in place. Schmidt says most people who have made reservations at this point have received or will receive the COVID-19 vaccine beforehand. Those who may not are willing to be tested.
"This is a boat that has managed to work for almost 100 years now, and so we were determined to find a way to keep her going," Schmidt expressed.
The couple says reservation numbers are "looking good so far" -- and they feel hopeful the season will be successful.
"We expect there's going to be some pent-up demand," Schaefer explained. "Everybody wants to get out and get outside and do something."
Fifteen minutes away in Camden, the director of hotels for the Bay View Collection is also feeling optimistic about what the next few months will hold. He says since Governor Janet Mills' announcement on March 5 about easing travel restriction, he's been seeing more reservations from people across the country. The hope is that Bay View Collection -- which includes 16 Bay View, Grand Harbor Inn, Lord Camden Inn, and a new hotel in Rockport -- reaches numbers similar to 2019.
"We're really looking forward to more guests to welcome to our area," Levin said, noting that in March, two of those hotels have seen almost more business than they did in July of 2020.
A survey released this month by the Maine Tourism Association indicates 69% of responding businesses are "optimistic" about tourism being "significantly" better this year than last. 67% say they're optimistic their business is in the process of recovering this year, and 36% said their reservations so far are somewhere between 26-75% of 2019 numbers.
"I think overall, everyone is expecting to do better," Tony Cameron, the CEO of the Maine Tourism Association, told NEWS CENTER Maine. Cameron also emphasized, "In order for Maine to recover, travel and tourism need to recover."
Tom Peaco, the President and CEO of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, agrees, noting a lot of people are "putting a lot of faith in a rebound year" for 2021.
"The sense we're getting is that things are picking up a little bit," Peaco said. "I think it's not where anybody would like to see it yet -- but I think the phone is starting to ring."
Cameron says bookings are on the rise, so now is the time to plan your vacations and make reservations. That includes Mainers who may want to get out and explore their own backyards this summer.