Maryland Tourism Coalition Kicks Off 'Maryland In A Day' Celebrations At Concord Point Light House: Harford County Seeks To Increase Overnight Tourism

HAVRE DE GRACE - The Maryland Tourism Coalition kicked off its "Maryland in a Day" celebrations at Tydings Memorial Park in Havre de Grace on Tuesday morning. As Harford County prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary later this year, the tourism coalition chose HdG as the starting point for a drive around the "Great Chesapeake Bay Loop."

The "Maryland in a Day" event is part of a broader effort underway to increase tourism in Harford County. Last month, Harford County announced that it is restructuring the distribution of tourism dollars generated through the hotel lodging fee.

The goal of the reorganization is to increase the number of overnight stays in local hotels by focusing on creating more extended or weekend-long events. This shift entails providing funds to entities that promote visits lasting longer than a day, as opposed to granting money to individual tourism-related organizations without considering their impact on hotel stays.

The decision to prioritize overnight stays is based on the understanding that an overnight visitor to Harford County typically spends an average of $1,200 per visit, compared to the $98 paid by day-trippers, according to the Maryland Office of Tourism. With the average stay in the county being 1.8 days, increasing the number of overnight visits will unlock additional tourism funding that can be allocated to promoting more events, thus generating even more overnight stays.

Harford County is introducing the Partnership Fund to support this new approach, offering collective grants totaling $550,000. The aim is to encourage collaboration among multiple non-profit tourism groups, urging them to plan large-scale joint or extended events that attract visitors for more than just a day. By working together, these organizations can create top-notch events that draw people from across the region, bolstering the local economy and supporting small businesses.

Havre de Grace already places a significant focus on tourism. Multi-day events, including the Havre de Grace Art Show, attract tourists from across the region. The funding provided by the Partnership Fund will bolster the city's tourism economy, bringing more visitors to spend money at local businesses.

The county has also established the Harford Strides Fund, providing temporary grants for up to two consecutive years to help tourism-related organizations qualify for Partnership Fund money. Recipient groups must demonstrate their ability to sustain themselves with external funding within three years and attract visitors from beyond Harford's borders. The Strides Fund has a budget of $220,000 available to facilitate progress for organizations aspiring to meet the Partnership Fund requirements.

Applications for both funds will be reviewed and recommended by the Tourism Activity Review Committee before being awarded by the county executive. Eligibility for the Strides funding renders applicants ineligible for Partnership Fund dollars. Only Harford tourism-related 501(c)3 and 501(c)6 organizations are eligible to apply.

The restructured tourism funding approach in Harford County is expected to foster collaboration, drive longer stays, and stimulate economic growth through a vibrant and diverse range of events that appeal to visitors from near and far.