Beginning July 1, all eight state-operated welcome centers will expand service to operate seven days a week. Located in every region of Maryland, the welcome centers are staffed with certified travel counselors who offer statewide tourism and travel information, hotel reservations assistance, greeting of motor coaches, suggestions for itineraries, maps and travel guides, and a listing of all local events.

“Tourism is one of our most important economic drivers and we are committed to offering our visitors the best possible customer service,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “As we continue to welcome more visitors to our state for vacation as well as business travel, we want to ensure that they have access to all Maryland has to offer.”

The Welcome Centers will operate each day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. year-round, and will be closed on major state and federal holidays. For more information and locations of the Welcome Centers, visit www.visitmaryland.org or call 1-800-719-5900.

Blues harmonica master and Montgomery County resident Phil Wiggins (pictured) has been selected by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as a National Heritage Fellowship recipient. The fellowship, given annually by the NEA, is the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Wiggins is among nine folk and traditional artists from across the U.S. who will receive $25,000 at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in September.

“Folk and traditional arts are an integral part of our state’s unique heritage and we are proud that the National Endowment for the Arts has chosen Marylander Phil Wiggins for this prestigious honor,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “The work that Phil has done as a traditional artist and the art form that he continues to share with fellow musicians is critical in helping Maryland continue to cultivate a strong and thriving arts community.”

The CBS Evening News traveled Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and visited sites including the new Visitor Center and the nearby Bucktown Village Store as a part of their Juneteenth commemoration. The two-minute segment ran in primetime and celebrated Harriet Tubman’s legacy of freedom while highlighting Maryland heritage tourism destinations.

“It’s a testament to both Maryland’s remarkable history and impressive tourism assets, and the promotions efforts of OTD and our partners in this project that we continue to generate such impressive stories,” said Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, TFA. “We are truly proud of Tubman and the people who work to preserve her legacy and hope we can continue to find new audiences to share her story and theirs.” Follow this link to see the full video.

The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) hosted the 2017 Individual Artist Awards (IAA) Ceremony and Reception on Monday, June 26, at the American Visionary Art Museum. The ceremony honored the 88 composers, choreographers, dancers, musicians, poets, sculptors, and installation artists from across Maryland who were awarded IAAs this year. Secretary Mike Gill and TFA Managing Director Liz Fitzsimmons were on hand to congratulate the artists and spoke about the State’s commitment to making Maryland a welcoming place for artists to live and work, as well as the important role artists play in Maryland’s economy and tourism industry.

MSAC Interim Executive Director Julie Madden and Council Chair Shelley Morhaim were on hand as well to congratulate artists on their awards, which include grants ranging from $1,000 to $6,000, and citations from MSAC. This year’s awardees were chosen from 348 applicants through an anonymous jury process administered by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. The awards honor their artistic accomplishment, acknowledge their contributions to the State, and encourage them to continue to pursue their artistic visions as Marylanders.

On June 15, Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, TFA; and Marci Ross, Assistant Director for Tourism Development, OTD, were welcomed by a full meeting of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland in Prince Frederick. OTD addressed the council with a presentation entitled, “Tourism Works for Southern Maryland.” Fitzsimmons gave a “State of the State of Tourism” address, while Ross presented “Advance Tourism in Southern Maryland.”

Pictured (left to right): Marci Ross, Assistant Director for Tourism Development, OTD; John Hartline, Executive Director, Tri-County Council; Ray Mertz, Charles County Member at Large, Tri-County Council; Steven Wall, Business Retention & Expansion Rep, Maryland Department of Commerce; Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, TFA; and Steve Weems, Chairman, Tri-County Council.

Significant increases in web traffic to Visitmaryland.org, strong gains made on OTD’s social media channels, and successful media outreach campaigns coincided with a 14 percent increase in visitation to Maryland’s welcome centers year over year. In April alone, the visitor centers welcomed 34,580 travelers bringing the tally to 294,744 guests welcomed through the first seven months of FY2017, all part of OTD efforts that have corresponded with a tourism tax revenue rise of 4.2% -- more than doubling the 2% growth of all tax revenues. To read the full monitor, visit our website.

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.