June is Home Safety Month and it’s the perfect time for you to make sure your home is as safe as possible for you and your family. Many of these tips can also be applied to the workplace. Please take a minute to review them to assure a safe summer.

The Home Safety Council provides the following tips to help you avoid various hazards:

• Put a non-slip mat in your shower and in your kitchen.

• Keep stairs clear of clutter and ensure proper lighting at the top and bottom. Use safety gates if you have young children.

• Make sure you have sturdy handrails on all stairs (indoors and outdoors).

• Wipe up spills when they happen.

• Keep the Poison Control phone number (1-800-222-1222) by each telephone and programmed into your cell phone.

• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and regularly check the batteries.

• Read labels of all products you use in your home. Any that say “caution,” “warning” or something similar should be stored away from children, either locked up or on a high shelf.

• Keep all medications out of reach of children. Make sure they are not in purses, pockets or drawers where children could easily access.

• Keep original label on all medication and cleaning supplies.

• Always stay by the stove or grill when cooking.

• Keep grills at least 10 feet away from your house, garage and any trees or bushes. Keep children and pets away.

• Only light candles when an adult is in the room, and never leave candles burning unattended.

• Have a fire escape plan and hold a fire drill with your family. Make sure all adults in the house know how and when to use a fire extinguisher.

• If you have a pool or hot tub, install a fence around it.

Always watch children carefully when in the bathtub or pool, even small, child-sized pools

Visitor Information Center

TRAFFIC FIGURES FOR MAY

Current Month Year-to-Date Y-D Comparison

2010 2011 2010 2011 2011/2010

Calais	944	2011	2817	2019	-798	-28%

Fryeburg	2085	1994	6317	6077	-240	-4%

Hampden (N)	6351	5886	18961	15678	-3283	-17%

Hampden (S)	3595	2982	12507	10004	-2503	-20%

Houlton	1460	1614	4569	4572	+3	+/-0.0%

Kittery	31948	26254	83874	71259	-12615	-15%

West Gardiner	1183	1230	3487	3399	-88	-3%

Yarmouth	10013	8401	28654	23421	-5233	-18%

Totals	57579	49142	161186	136429	-24757	-15%

Powering Up to Reduce Pollution

During a muggy Maine summer night, a commercial truck can burn more than a gallon an hour of diesel fuel just to keep the cab cool and comfortable. That can add up to a substantial amount of fuel, money and toxic emissions. To help reduce fuel consumption and improve air quality in Maine, the Maine Turnpike recently opened the state’s first truck stop electrification site.

Located at the Turnpike’s West Gardiner Service Plaza, the site features 30 truck parking spaces equipped with heating, air conditioning, electrical outlets and internet service.

“Truck stop electrification (TSE) is the wave of the future. It’s all about increasing truck drivers' comfort and safety while reducing energy consumption and pollution,” said Steve Tartre, Maine Turnpike director of engineering and building maintenance.

“New England has some of the highest asthma rates in the country,” said Ira Leighton of the EPA's New England office. “By reducing diesel emissions we are helping thousands of our neighbors breathe easier."

The Maine Turnpike 30-unit site is expected to realize significant environmental benefits. According a study completed for the EPA, particulate matter could be reduced by 1.3 tons annually, NOx by 48 tons and CO₂ by 2,000 tons.

“The study showed the potential for significant annual fuel savings,” said the Turnpike’s Tartre.

The units also represent a cost savings for truckers. The Maine Turnpike and Craufurd purposefully priced the service to encourage trucker use. Some TSE facilities charge up to $4 per hour. The new Turnpike units cost $2 an hour.

“Right now, people are trying to do what they can to save energy and reduce pollution,” said Tartre. “Our new TSE units make it cost effective to do the right thing.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lafayette Hotels announces $25,000 scholarship for Hospitality Students at SMCC.

Lafayette Hotels recently created a special scholarship for second year students studying Lodging and Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts at Southern Maine Community College. The scholarship has been established in honor of Gus Tillman, long-time General Manager of the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, and Peter Daigle, Chief Operating Officer of Lafayette Hotels. “Between them, Gus Tillman and Peter Daigle have over a hundred years of hospitality experience,” said Danny Lafayette, owner of Lafayette Hotels. “It’s fitting that we should honor them with a scholarship that will help bring bright, young people into our industry.”

Gus Tillman has been a leader in the Portland hotel community since moving to Maine in 1963, when he managed the Lafayette Hotel (no relation to the current company) on Congress Street. Tillman took over as manager of the Holiday Inn West in Portland and helped bring the Holiday Inn by the Bay to Portland in 1972. His hotels have won many awards and Gus has won virtually every honor and recognition given by Maine’s tourism industry. He continues to contribute to his industry and serves as the longest-standing member on the board of directors of three organizations: the Maine Innkeepers Association, the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Tourism Association.

Peter Daigle worked at a hotel in Waterville while attending Colby College and never left the business. He became chief operating officer of Lafayette Hotels in 1994, after serving as president of the Erin Company for nearly 25 years.

The gift will be placed in an endowment fund, with a portion of the annual income used for a scholarship and the balance will remain in the endowment to help it grow in perpetuity .

Established in 1982, Lafayette Hotels is a Maine-based company which owns or operates 29 hotels. The company owns 23 hotels in Maine, three in New Hampshire and one in Allen Park, Michigan. In addition to the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, Lafayette Hotel properties include the Bluenose Inn and Wonder View Inn & Suites both in Bar Harbor, the Black Bear Inn in Orono, the Best Western White House Inn in Bangor, Boothbay Harbor Inn and the Tugboat Inn in Boothbay Harbor, and six Fireside Inn & Suite properties, among others.

Welcome New Members

May 1 – 31, 2011

Aquaboggan Waterpark

Saco

207-282-3112

info@aquabogganwaterpark.com

www.aquaboggan.com

Amusement, Entertainment,

Fun for Children, Fun Park

Aroostook Centre Mall

Presque Isle

207-764-2616

www.aroostookcentremall.com

Retail Store

Four Points by Sheraton Bangor Maine

Bangor

207-947-6721

reservations@fourpointsbangor.com

www.fourpointsbangorairport.com

Caterer, Conference Centers, Hotel, Restaurant

Martel’s Ice Cream & Mini Golf

Saco

207-283-1775

Golf Course, Ice Cream

Modern Pest Services

Brunswick

207-721-0167

www.modernpest.com

SK Tours of Maine, LLC

Bangor

207-947-7193

sk-tours@msn.com

www.sk-tours.com

Tours

SpinnAcres Alpaca Farm Retreat

Waldoboro

207-832-2288

info@spinnacres.com

www.spinnacres.com

Bed & Breakfast, Boat Cruise,

Llama/Alpaca, Sea Kayaking Rentals,

Sea Kayaking Trips, Wildlife Tour

West Coast Maine Magazine

Norway

207-743-8616

info@westcoastmaine.com

www.westcoastmaine.com

Advertising, Newspaper, Publisher

Wild Acadia Fun Park and Water Slides

Trenton

207-667-3573

wildacadia@gmail.com

www.wildacadia.com

Amusement, Fun for Children, Fun Park

Business Member

Public Affairs Update

125^th Legislature. The 125^th Legislature is trying to finish in time for the statutory deadline of June 15^th. The Appropriations Committee has finalized the budget and I am pleased to report that the Tourism Marketing and Promotion Fund has remained intact. The budget still has to be enacted in the House and the Senate and signed by the Governor. The House of Representatives and the Senate will be in double and even triple sessions for the next several days as they work toward adjournment.

Landowner Relations. Earlier this session, the Maine Tourism Association testified in favor of LD 254, An Act to Amend the Standards by Which Game Wardens May Stop All-terrain Vehicles Operating on Private Property. The bill received an 11-2 Ought to Pass report from the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and has been enacted by both the House and the Senate. Governor LePage has allowed the bill to become law without his signature. These changes will go a long way toward improving landowner relations and retaining Maine’s long held tradition of allowing access to private land for outdoor recreation.

LD 579. A Resolve, To Study the Creation of a School of Hospitality and Hotel Management within the University of Maine System has been enacted and signed by the Governor. This bill, sponsored by Senator Roger Katz, states that the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System shall convene a stakeholder group to explore the creation of a hospitality and hotel management baccalaureate degree program within the system. The stakeholder group shall include, but is not limited to, representatives of the following: the University of Maine System; the Maine Community College System; The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Tourism; the Maine Tourism Association; the Maine Innkeepers Association; the Maine Restaurant Association; and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. By November 1, 2011, they shall submit a written report to the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System with their findings and recommendations on the necessity, feasibility and financial implications of creating a hospitality and hotel management baccalaureate degree program within the system. By January 31, 2012, the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System shall present a report with its conclusions and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The joint standing committee may introduce a bill during the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature to implement the recommendations.

LD 792. A Resolve, Establishing a Task Force To Examine the Decline in the Number of Nonresident Hunters has been enacted and signed by the Governor. This legislation was submitted by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and the study group will include the Director of the Office of Tourism and a representative from the Maine Tourism Commission. This task force has been asked to review the numbers of nonresident hunters over the last 5 years; review national trends regarding nonresident hunters over the last 5 years and develop recommendations to increase the numbers of nonresident hunters in the future. The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife shall submit a written report of its findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife by December 1, 2011.

If you would like additional information, please call me at the Maine Tourism Association at 623.0363 Ext. 104 or email me at carolyn@mainetourism.com.

Maine Tourism Association

Stats Report - June 2011

On-line Stats April 2011 May 2011 YTD 2011

www.mainetourism.com Page Views	53720	43088	288778
www.mainetourism.com Visits	17536	18188	98813
www.mainetourism.com MIY Requests	501	984	4196
www.mainetourism.com BB/CC Requests	448	847	3608
Web Visits per Day	585	587	3292
Total Users/MIY eTravelPlanner	2217	3883	13726
Page Views/MIY eTravelPlanner	128722	214049	773463
Link Hits/MIY eTravelPlanner	447	544	2047
Total Users-BB/CC eBrochure	181	248	755
Page Views-BB/CC eBrochure	3706	3045	12979
Link Hits-BB/CC eBrochure	56	43	219
Video-Postcards Sent	122	97	589
Misc. Membership Info	906	812	4718
Calendar of Events	715	731	4226
InnLink Participants	162	173	845
InnLink Room Nights Booked	1482	720	3259
Maine Getaway Participants & Specials	246	266	1163
Banner Ad Views	43256	52390	172154
Banner Ad Links	247	329	1038

MIY eTravelPlanner had 256 people that downloaded the full guide as well as 8,319 individual pages were printed. BBCC eTravelPlanner had 40 people that downloaded the full guide as well as 412 individual pages were printed. There were also 230 users via a mobile device to MIY eTravelPlanner.

Stats for individual Member Listings on www.mainetourism.com:

22,694; viewed search listings pages with 1,029 clicks to member listings.

Top Selections from Listings search:

Lodging, Recreation, Events, Dining, Shopping, History, Camping, Regions, Maine Sites

Top Entry Pages to www.mainetourism.com: The Maine Beaches, Travel Planners, Spring/Summer, Regions, Weather, Greater Portland & Casco Bay, Kennebec & Moose River Valleys, Information Centers, Mid-Coast, Maine’s Lakes & Mountains

Top Exit Pages to www.mainetourism.com: Spring/Summer, MIY eTravelPlanner, Travel Planners, Transportation, Mid-Coast, Fall, DownEast & Acadia, Greater Portland & Casco Bay, Maine’s Lakes & Mountains, Weather

Average time on site: 3.40 minutes; returning visitors are 27% of the traffic with 73% new traffic

www.mainetourism.com Traffic Sources: 26% Direct; 18% Referring & 56% Search Engines (up 24% for search engine traffic)

m.mainetourism.com mobile site 261 visits, 655 page views; time on site: 3.27 minutes

5,236 Twitter followers www.twitter.com/mainetourism

924 Facebook followers www.facebook.com/mainetourismassociation

163 visitors, 425 page views to www.memoir.mainetourism.com

77 visitors, 198 page views to www.greenmaine.net

MTA Google AdWords Ad: 928 clicks on the ad with 96,977 views

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the new Ranger Station at Saint Croix National Historic Site in Calais, Maine was held on Saturday, June 4th. The weather cooperated and the event was a very nice celebration of the improvements to the National Park Service's site.

About 130-140 people were in attendance. Congressman Michael Michaud, Rep. Joyce Maker, Calais Mayor Joe Cassidy, Acadia National Park Superintendent Sheridan Steele, Maine Office of Tourism Director Carolann Oullette, Passamaquoddy Rep. Donald Soctomah were among the officials who attended.

Passamaquoddy tribal members Joan Dana, Brenda Lozier and Blanche Sockabasin performed the welcoming smudging ceremony at the island's viewing pavilion near water's edge. As we walked the forested path to the pavilion, we passed the bronze statues and interpretive panels which tell the history and significance of 1604 at Saint Croix Island.

The local Cub Scout Pack 132 raised the American and Canadian Flags while the two National Anthems were played. After introductions and speeches (a letter from Sen. Olympia Snowe's office was also read), the first young person to ask about the Junior Ranger Project at the new Ranger Station, Daniel Fransiscus, got to do the actual ribbon cutting! He was flanked by dignitaries and park personnel.

All in attendance were encouraged to visit the new buildings and to enjoy refreshments. The new Ranger Station building is very attractive and a welcome addition to the historic site. It will encourage more people to stop and learn about the importance of Saint Croix Island: the French presence in North America and the meeting of the two nations.The park itself is a 'must-see' destination.

St. Croix Island Int'l Park's Ranger, Meg Schied, and staff did a phenomenal job of planning and executing the event.

SpinnAcres Alpaca Farm Retreat

A Water Front Bed & Breakfast in Waldoboro, Maine

Enjoy time on the water or relaxing on the deck.

Beyond an enclave of lobstermen, hidden among fields, our waterfront retreat invites you to slip away from the fray, where the gentle hum of an alpaca greets you. Relax on our deck, nudged by soft ocean breezes, listening to the far-off call of the gulls over Broad Cove.

At our completely renovated farmhouse your stay can be as relaxing or as adventurous as you want it to be, the choice is yours. SpinnAcres offers grand views of the cove from the spacious deck, tours of Broad Cove on our lobster boat the "Already There," kayaking, trail walking, assist with the daily care of our alpacas, or visit the local attractions in the Boothbay, Damariscotta, Rockland and Pemaquid Region." .

KAYAKERS...SpinnAcres also offers "Kayak & Stay" packages as well as seaside kayak rentals right at the farm. Check out "On The Farm" for more information!

There is a separately accessible bath with shower for guests of kayak tours that may not be staying at the B&B but can set up camp near the shore.

First Settlers Lodge Unites Old and New Maine .

First Settlers Lodge By the Travelin Maine(rs), George and Linda Smith

The stunning view from First Settlers Lodge in Weston unites the old and the new Maine. From the huge windows that run all across the front of the lodge, you look left and see, across a wide forested valley, First Wind’s towers across the tops of two distant hills. To the right you see the magnificent mastiff of Mount Katahdin.

The lodge is on a section of Route 1 designated as a scenic highway and there’s actually a turnout right across the road so travelers can enjoy the spectacular view.

This has been our favorite northern Maine lodge for many years. We returned in March to make sure the new owners, Susan and Steve Mine, who purchased the lodge last December, are maintaining the high level of hospitality, comfort, and food provided by our friends Elbridge and Judy Cleaves, the former owners. The good news is simply this. Yes they are!

We discovered this amazing place many years ago when the Board of Directors of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine held its annual planning retreat here. We have returned many times since for weekend get-a-ways in all seasons.

The lodge is ideal for small groups and has a special meeting room downstairs that accommodates up to 30 people. State agencies and businesses know their way to First Settlers. We arrived in March just after a group of quilters who took the whole lodge for their get-together.

This area is a sportsman’s paradise. Down the hill behind the lodge lies East Grand Lake with fantastic fishing for smallmouth bass and landlocked salmon. Steve works with local guides to give the lodge’s guests the very best experiences from kayaking remote rivers to hunting bears, deer, and upland birds. Goose hunting is especially good here. And they’ve got some great ATV trails in this area, accessed right from the lodge.

The lodge is close enough for day trips to Mount Katahdin (55 miles), Calais and Moosehorn Federal Wildlife Reserve (1 hour) and other Downeast destinations. Canada is right next door. The boreal forest that many bird watchers seek in Maine is plentiful here. Have you ever seen a Boreal Chickadee? This is the place!

The lodge offers five super-big rooms featuring beds and sitting areas sleeping 3 to 6 people per room. An upstairs “bunkhouse” sleeps eleven people. Our favorite room is number 24 with stunning views of Katahdin from the windows across the front of the room, and a nice look at East Grand Lake out the side window where a small table offers the ideal writing and work space. The dining room also overlooks East Grand Lake.

We are particularly enamored of inns and lodges that provide all our meals, places where we can spend a weekend in our slippers. First Settlers Lodge is that kind of place. There’s plenty to do here, especially in the great Maine outdoors, but even though you are right on Route 1 and 20 minutes from Houlton, you are also sufficiently isolated so you don’t have to deal with the need to “do something.” This is the place to relax, read, and reflect.

If You Go: www.firstsettlerslodge. 207-448-3000. Don’t forget your slippers.

For more from the Travelin Maine(rs) go to www.georgesmithmaine.com.

TOURISM TIDBITS

Tourism and Trade Show

Trade shows have long been seen as an important marketing tool for a large number of industries that need to exhibit their products to a specific audience. Since almost the beginning of time business people have known that trade shows offer merchants the opportunity to market their goods before huge crowds in a relatively short period of time. Trade shows can also be an important tourism and economic development generator and bring thousands of dollars into the coffers of hotels, restaurants and attractions. From the tourism perspective, trade shows are more than mere platforms for marketing one's wears. These shows are an important part of the convention and meetings industry. Tourism industry leaders are well aware of the fact that trade shows produce not only primary business (the business that takes place on the trade show floor) but also secondary business (business that is the result of servicing the trade show participants, such as hotels and restaurants) and even tertiary business (business that comes from trade show participants returning at a later time to the trade show's host community). Many tourism leaders view trade shows as "conventions with a product to sell".

From the perspective of the tourism industry trade shows then provide a number of important challenges and opportunities. For example even a small or medium size trade show may attract as many as 10,000 people from out-of-town who will fill hotel rooms and eat at local establishments. For many of the reasons mentioned above Tourism professionals compete to gain trade show market share. They also realize that people who come to their community for trade shows may return at a later time for additional recreation and fun.

While there are great similarities between the classical convention and trade shows there are also major differences. Trade shows often need large amounts of convention hall space, and easy access for products and trade show booths. Because trade shows have multiple events occurring at the same time, the trade show floor must be designed to allow people to hear against a cacophony of sounds and permit private conversations in a public arena.

Tourism Tidbits suggests that those tourism communities that seek to attract trade shows consider some or all of the following:

Have both a pre-show plan and a during-show plan of action. Many communities offer the trade show planners a set of show benefits, good lighting, easy access, security guards at the entrances and exits. Communities that also offer pre-show ad-ons including free nights at places of lodging, discount tickets to local attractions, and restaurant coupons have an additional advantage in attracting trade shows.

-Provide clear and precise information about what services your local community can provide to and for trade show hosts, guests and participants. Make sure that your community's information appears in a font size that is easy for most people to read. In a like manner provide information regarding secondary and tertiary site locations that is clear and not cluttered. To avoid these problems create "Trade show check lists" that can be reviewed with the tradeshow organizers prior to the start of the show.

Do not overestimate what you can handle. Many communities "bite off" more than they can chew. Remember that the success of a trade show is determined not only by what takes place within the show, but also by what happens off the trade show floor

Use your security team as a selling tool to attract tradeshows and to encourage people to consider post-trade show vacations in your community. Trade shows are places where all sorts of merchandise are available and are soft target spots for pilferage. One way to win trade shows for your community is to demonstrate to potential trade shows hosts that there is a total security plan and that the local police department has been trained in tourism security issues.

Make sure that you use the fact that people are at tradeshow to promote your community. Think of give-away bags promoting local products and services, interesting posters and regular information updates on things to do before and after trade show hours. Make sure that your community is part of the local trade show rather than merely as passive location in which the tradeshow occurs.

Ask yourself who is exhibiting in your community and what special needs to these exhibitors. The best way to get brilliant results in attracting trade shows is to demonstrate that you understand what the trade shows' hosts' needs are and that you have a plan to meet their needs. Make sure you demonstrate to the trade show host that you understand who their target audience is and the message that they are trying to get across. Take the time to ask the organizers how they will define a successful show and what part the local tourism industry can play in making sure that they meet their objectives.

Remember that there are really two shows occurring at the same time. The first is the actual trade show in which merchants are exhibiting products. The second trade show is that your community is also on exhibit. To gain brilliant results use the personal touch and a sense of caring to distinguish your community from other communities that are also seeking to attract the trade show business.

Excerpted from Tidbits & More, Inc. June 2011. To read more: www.tourismandmore.com