On May 9, seven team members on the TFA staff were honored for their service with the division with certificates of appreciation from the State of Maryland. Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, TFA, presented the certificates, which were signed by Governor Larry Hogan and Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford. Those receiving recognition were: Rich Gilbert, Travel Trade Sales Manager (30 years); Connie Spindler, Public Relations Specialist (25 years); Marci Ross, Assistant Director, Tourism Development (20 years); Jack Gerbes, Director, Maryland Film Office (20 years); Kathi Ash, Digital Assets Manager (15 years); Christine Stewart, Program Manager for Arts in Education, MSAC (10 years); and Ken Skrzesz, Executive Director, MSAC (5 years).

Pictured: Members of the TFA team gather on Employee Appreciation Day. Absent are Jack Gerbes and Christine Stewart.

Maryland Office of Tourism Welcome Center staff attended the 2018 Southeast Travel Counselors Alliance Conference in Roanoke. The primary focus of the conference is to discuss best practices in Welcome Center, Call Center, and Fulfillment services in the region. This year's conference had a record attendance and included topics around marketing, industry relations, visitor experience, revenue opportunities, operations, staffing, emergency preparedness and technology.

Dundalk, Maryland hit the silver screen as the opening and closing feature films of the Maryland Film Festival were both set and filmed in the Baltimore suburb.

Local writer/director Matt Porterfield's Sollers Point, and House of Cards star Michael Kelly's All Square screened to sell-out crowds. Both films are set in Dundalk and highlighted various locations in and around the area.

This year, the MFF celebrated its 20th anniversary, and although final numbers are not yet available, individual ticket sales were up 12 percent and festival organizers estimate that more than 20,000 attended the festival. Sollers Point begins its theatrical run at the Parkway on Friday, May 11. Go to https://mdfilmfest.com/coming-soon/ for ticket information.

In the last issue of Insights, we announced a call for Maryland mountain storytellers and a storytelling workshop to be held by OTD and MSAC on June 6, 2018. The date is being changed. We will announce a new date as soon as it has been established. In the meantime, if you have further questions, please contact OTD’s Heather Ersts at hersts@visitmaryland.org.

It’s Tourism Week, and the Maryland Office of Tourism's Welcome Centers are hosting their annual Open House, where tourism partners are invited into the Welcome Centers to promote their attractions directly to our visitors alongside our travel counselors during National Travel and Tourism Week through May 12.

The all-new official Destination Maryland guide presents our tourism partners with a unique, powerful opportunity that is 100 percent focused on visitation to Maryland—and there is no better time to speak to its large audience than when they are actively planning their visit to the state. Destination Maryland is sent by request to highly qualified consumers who are actively planning a Maryland vacation—most often a long one. In addition to 250,000 printed copies distributed, the guide will also be available as an interactive e-book with click-through to advertiser landing pages.

Contact Carly Stedman for rates and details: carly.stedman@milespartnership.com / 202-681-8169 or go to http://industry.visitmaryland.org/marketing-advertising/advertising-marketing-opportunities/.

On May 15, TFA will be hosting its last regional partnership session in Flintstone. The goal of these meetings is to build and develop programs between state agencies and other partners involved in arts and tourism with the goal of appealing to in-state and out-of-state customers to drive economic and quality of life benefits for Maryland. The state agencies include DHCD, Transportation, DNR, Commerce, and Planning.

The day-long meetings will provide an overview of how state agencies can benefit tourism and arts partners, and include round-table discussions centered on marketing, research, access to resources, and idea generation to build collaboration and programs that will enhance the state’s tourism and arts offerings. The regional meetings are being produced by the Maryland Office of Tourism and its sister agencies sponsored in part by AAA. There is a $20 registration fee for each workshop, and lunch will be provided. For more information, to register, and to take our brief survey, follow this link to Visitmaryland.org.

The Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA), Green Sports Alliance (GSA) and International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) are hosting a sustainability professional development and networking event at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. The event will be held Wednesday, May 30, from 1:00-5:00 p.m., and will feature sustainability tips, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and a stadium tour. The event is designed for current or potential GSA and IAVM members. Admission is free, and discount tickets for the Orioles/Nationals game, which follows the event at 7:05 p.m. can be purchased with the code GSAIAVM. Registration closes May 16 so, to register, follow this link.

For the latest on events and everything going all around Maryland, view the latest edition of Visit Maryland Now! here.

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