Resourcefulness, and creativity defined St. Mary’s County’s response to tourism challenges faced in 2020. In a report to the Commissioners, Economic Development Director Chris Kaselemis and Chair of the Visit St. Mary’s MD (VSMMD) Board, Dr. Regina Faden, described key accomplishments and strategies implemented as the tourism industry navigated pandemic conditions.
Visit St. Mary’s MD is the nonprofit tourism organization of St. Mary’s County and is tasked with raising awareness and supporting tourism. Annually, the Board presents a plan to the Commissioners. The VSMMD FY2022 Marketing and Media plan was presented at the Commissioner Meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 26, and showcased marketing and media strategies and goals designed to draw visitors to St. Mary’s County.
In early January, the Commissioners launched the $371,000 St. Mary’s County Hotel Relief Fund to provide grants to local hotels and other lodging facilities to provide relief to establishments that have been impacted by the pandemic, thus helping shore up the local tourism economy.
The Commissioners encourage people to explore the county, see all it has to offer, and support the tourism industry. St. Mary’s County has 20 county parks, 15 trails for biking and hiking, multiple historic sites, and 500 miles of shoreline with water access points to offer regional visitors. A downloadable visitors guide is available at https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/plan/visitor-guide/.
