Rich Gilbert, Travel Trade Sales Manager, led 18 Maryland partners on the Maryland on the Road Enterprise (MORE) Sales Blitz through Western Pennsylvania. MORE is a cooperative marketing partnership for Maryland’s tour and travel suppliers who travel aboard an executive motorcoach conducting pre-scheduled sales appointments with motorcoach operators, tour operators and travel planners.

Attendees on the Western Pennsylvania Blitz conducted individual sales meetings with a dozen tour operators from the key target regions of Johnstown, Butler and Pittsburgh, promoting their Maryland group tour opportunities. The Blitz introduces tour operators to our partners operations, marketing approaches, planning assistance, future trends, and assessments of the current Maryland tour product. The Blitz is a “soft-sell” approach that has been refined and perfected through years of practice, and has proven valuable and effective to our partners. For information about future MORE Sales Blitzes, email Rich Gilbert at rgilbert@visitmaryland.org.

Pictured: (Top row at center) Rich Gilbert, Travel Trade Sales Manager, OTD, with Blitz attendees representing Annapolis Tours & Watermark Cruises; Boardwalk Hotel Group; Charles County Tourism; Colony South Hotel; Crowne Plaza Greenbelt; Days Inn Inner Harbor; Entertainment Cruises; Harrison Group Resort Hotels; Holiday Inn Timonium; Live! Casino & Hotel; Lord Baltimore Hotel; Maryland Zoo in Baltimore; National Aquarium; Six Flags America; Toby’s Dinner Theatre; Visit Frederick; Visit St. Mary’s County; and Wicomico County Tourism.

2020 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, and is being celebrated as the International Year of the Woman. In preparation for this historic event, OTD is joining with state and private partners in unveiling historical markers across the state commemorating significant, long-ignored events in women’s history through the auspices of the Maryland 19th Amendment Commission. This latest marker, unveiled on Sept 28 in Historic St. Mary’s City recognizes the 1915 “Margaret Brent Pilgrimage” which saw Maryland Suffragists take a 23-day journey by covered wagon from Baltimore to St. Mary’s City in honor of Margaret Brent, an English colonist considered one of the most important women and advocates for women’s rights in colonial history. The marker is the fourth of five to be unveiled ahead of the Year of the Woman, with the final set to for October 26 in Oakland.

Pictured: (Left to right) Maryland General Assembly Delegate Brian Crosby, St. Mary’s County; Cynthia Miller, Strategic Partnerships Director, OTD; St. Mary’s County Commissioners President Randy Guy; Diana Bailey, Executive Director, Maryland Women’s Heritage Center; Brigadier General Janeen Birkhead, Assistant Adjutant General, Maryland Military Department; State Senator Jack Bailey, Calvert and St. Mary's Counties; Elizabeth Hughes, Director & State Historic Preservation Officer, Maryland Historical Trust.

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 October 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.

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.