Crowds flocked to the 79th Annual National Folk Festival September 6-8 for the second of its three-year run in Salisbury. The event brought more than 350 musicians, artists, and craftspeople to the shore for the free festival drawing a crowd of more than 150,000 according to city estimates, and more than doubling the size of last year's rain-soaked event. While it is too early for economic impact numbers, last year's festival generated an estimated $20 million for the area's economy. The National Folk Festival was sponsored in part by OTD, MSAC, and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and was a key part of OTD's second annual Summer of Music. Make your plans now for next year's festival in Salisbury.

September 17 marks the 170th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s self-liberation from slavery and coincides with the upcoming release of Harriet, the first major motion picture to celebrate her remarkable life. Governor Hogan also proclaimed September as International Underground Railroad Month, and as the most powerful Underground Railroad storytelling destination in the world, Maryland is raising awareness of this important part of American history. OTD has released a new Network to Freedom video in support of this mission, and is coordinating social media coverage from across the state. Follow this link to see OTD’s Harriet Tubman and International Underground Railroad Month social media guide to join in the commemoration of this essential piece of American history.

Capital Region USA (CRUSA), the official regional destination marketing organization promoting Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia to international travelers, is hosting its annual Global Summit on international marketing October 24 in Alexandria, VA. The event features the latest news and research on overseas visitation, tips and trends for international marketers, updates on CRUSA's target and emerging markets, and more. This one-day event will allow attendees to meet with CRUSA's overseas representatives and learn best practices for bringing more overseas visitors to your destination or attraction.

The Global Summit will feature the latest economic impact figures on overseas arrivals to, and spending in the Capital Region for 2018, the latest trends and insights for CRUSA’s markets, a chance to meet CRUSA’s overseas representatives, networking opportunities with industry peers from across the region, lunch and prizes. Cost is $100. For more information and to register, follow this link.

Visit Baltimore will be hosting the American Bus Association Marketplace, the premier business event for the group travel industry, January 29-February 2, 2021. The week-long convention brings travel professionals from across the industry and across the nation together to bring motorcoach tours to their attractions. As a benefit of sponsorship, OTD will have the opportunity to showcase other parts of the state with pre- and post-familiarization tours. Maryland plans to offer six tours, preferably four pre-FAMs and two post-FAMs, and will be accepting FAM submissions until Oct 21, 2019 with ABA member attractions, hotels and restaurants encouraged to work in conjunction with their local DMOs. For more information on ABA, the FAM opportunities, and to submit your proposal, email Rich Gilbert, Travel Trade Sales Manager, OTD, at rgilbert@visitmaryland.org.

OTD is seeking nominations for the 2019 Destination Maryland Awards. These awards recognize the outstanding work of the tourism industry in its quest to increase revenue from visitor spending while providing unforgettable customer experiences for our visitors. Individuals, businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies that have significantly and positively impacted the local, regional, or statewide economy between October 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019 are eligible for nominations. Submissions are due September 18, 2019.

This year’s categories include the Maximizing Opportunities Award, the Market Expansion Award, the Leveraging Partnerships Award, and the Transactionable Outcomes Award. The awards will be presented during the Maryland Travel & Tourism Summit, November 6-8 in Cumberland. For more information, including eligibility guidelines, and to make a nomination, follow this link to the OTD industry website.

The 2019 Maryland Travel & Tourism Summit (MTTS) will be held November 6-8 at the Rocky Gap Casino in Cumberland. MTTS is Maryland’s annual tourism industry conference, which brings together all sectors of the hospitality industry. MTTS offers one-of-a-kind networking and is the ideal opportunity to learn and develop new strategies to advance your business and Maryland Tourism as a whole. The summit attracts more than 250 attendees, acclaimed speakers presenting on industry trends, and interactive learning sessions including an off-site learning lab. For more information and to register, follow this link.

Have you got a can’t-miss marketing platform to increase overnight stays in Maryland? Submit now and see if you’ve got what it takes to win over the judges at the Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit's (MTTS) second annual “Crab Tank” pitch competition. Make your submissions now, and, if selected, you will make your pitch live at MTTS and the “Big Crabs” will pick the pitch with the claws to get it done. Winning submissions will go beyond traditional travel silos and combine Maryland’s winning travel possibilities including group travel, multicultural/diversity travel, human-powered recreation, and family fun. The winning pitch will receive $50,000 in marketing support provided by OTD, including a full-page ad in Destination Maryland, web banner ads, coverage on VisitMaryland.org and in OTD’s newsletters, and more. All submissions must be received by October 15. Click here for more information about how to submit your pitch.

How can OTD help spread the word about your attraction or event? "Maryland Mondays" is the perfect way to help us help you. Each Monday, OTD launches a new “Maryland Mondays” ticket give-away program across all of our social media channels, consumer newsletter, and weekly “Maryland Minute” radio spots. Combined, these channels reach thousands of potential customers each week. To find out how to get involved by providing tickets to your attraction for an upcoming "Maryland Mondays," email OTD’s Matthew Scales.

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 Entercom radio stations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., WERQ and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.