WHERE WE ARE, AND
WHERE WE’RE GOING
Outdoor recreation contributes $3.3B to Maine’s economy, nearly 4% of the state’s GDP. The Trailblazer Roadmap will identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable growth and diversification of this rapidly growing industry.
As a collaboration of industry, communities, government, and higher education, the Roadmap aims to support, inform, and grow Maine’s resilient outdoor recreation economy.
This effort will define Maine’s outdoor recreation economy and its potential, produce a baseline analysis of the value of Maine’s outdoor economy, identify key strategies needed to fuel growth of the state’s outdoor economy for the next ten years, and form partnerships and collaborations for investment into Maine’s future.
~$3.3 Billion
outdoor recreation industry
3,500
miles of coastline
17 M
acres of forest
6,000
lakes and ponds
2,000
coastal islands
2,000
coastal islands
3,500
miles of coastline
17,000
acres of forest
6,000
lakes and ponds
2,000
coastal islands
We believe Maine’s outdoor recreation potential is as limitless as its natural beauty. The Roadmap will help us blaze a trail forward to bolster our state’s economy, prosperity, employment, and quality of life.
Thriving
Economy
Long-term
Prosperity
Good
Paying Jobs
Unmatched
Quality of Life
Goals of the
roadmap
Provide a current analysis of the economic value of the outdoor economy to the State of Maine.
Define and increase awareness of the different sectors that make up Maine’s outdoor recreation economy.
Identify key strategies and investment needed to fuel the growth and diversification of the outdoor economy state-wide for the next 10 years.
Form partnerships and collaborations necessary to secure additional investment to implement the strategies identified.
how will we get there?
We’re supporting the goals of the Roadmap with robust planning and a dedicated timeline.
Funding: The Roadmap is a project of Maine Outdoor Brands, the University of Maine, and Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation. It is funded by the ARPA Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation grant program through the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
As set forth in the Authorized Scope of Work (Attachment 1), this Award is made pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act Pub. L. 117-2 (March 11, 2021) to respond to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the State’s travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors. EDA is making this Award to the Recipient non-competitively, based on EDA’s finding that States are uniquely positioned to distribute State-Selected Tourism Awards quickly and effectively to help the State’s travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors recover and rebound from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.