In preparation for the upcoming March opening of the new Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Dorchester County, staff from OTD have developed a “toolkit” to help local businesses in the region cater to the wave of tourists who will be visiting the area. The kit consists of a folder with fact sheets, store window decals, buttons for staff to wear, and a five-minute instructional video recapping Tubman’s legacy in the area and explaining to store and restaurant staffs how to make sure visitors get the most impact from their time in the region. At a presentation before the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce on January 26, Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, OTD, introduced the video and said, “One of the things we’re really working hard on is generating partnerships with the private sector to drive more revenue and provide more economic opportunities for our partners.” You can view the video here.

Pictured: (left to right) Brent Burkhardt, Choptank Communications; Angela Crenshaw, assistant manager, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center; Heather Ersts, outreach & partnership coordinator, OTD; Liz Fitzsimmons, managing director, TFA; Andrea Vernot, Choptank Communications.

Destination Capitol Hill (DCH), being held this year on March 28-29, brings travel leaders from across the country to Washington, D.C. to educate policymakers about the power of travel. DCH provides delegates with an opportunity to learn about upcoming legislation that impacts travel, network with peers and meet with members of Congress to stress the importance of travel as an economic driver. To register: www.ustravel.org/events/DCH/registration

Maryland Arts Day is the largest annual gathering of arts professionals in Maryland. With more than 500 participants, representing every county in the state, this state-wide arts advocacy event connects artists, educators, administrators, volunteers and trustees with state lawmakers. Maryland Arts Day needs your participation to show strong support for the arts in Maryland and the impact they have on the vitality of the state. To register and show your support for Maryland arts, follow this link to mdarts.org.

OTD was on hand for the annual Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA, last weekend promoting Maryland’s significant outdoor recreation assets. “This is the single largest consumer event dedicated to fishing, hunting and outdoor traditions in the nation,” said Rich Gilbert, travel trade sales manager, OTD. “And for many of our partners, this event can make or break their year. So through our participation in events like this, we are directly supporting our partners.”

Pictured from left: Rich Gilbert, OTD and Sean Mann and Sandy Turner, former Sports Marketing Initiative committee members.

March is Maryland Wine Month, so register now to promote your wine-related events on the VisitMaryland.org website, and share your Wine Month specials, promotions and packages with Heather Ersts, outreach & partnership coordinator, OTD. By adding your events to the Visit Maryland events page, you get free access to the site's 2.5 million annual visitors. Follow this link to add your events to our calendar, and for packages, specials and other promotions, contact Heather at hersts@visitmaryland.org.

Each week, the Maryland Minute provides highlights and insights on this weekend’s events around the state. Maryland Minute is featured on CBS radio stations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.