As part of its international growth strategy, the Maine Office of Tourism has appointed Black Diamond as its full-service UK representation agency, marking the destination’s first dedicated representation in the market.
Historically promoted in the UK under the Discover New England regional marketing arm, a partnership which the tourism board is proudly continuing, this move to establish Maine as a standalone destination signals the state’s ambition to build awareness and establish its own product and identity for UK consumers exploring beyond the gateways. Black Diamond’s remit will focus on elevating Maine’s profile across trade, media and consumer audiences, ensuring the state becomes a top-of-mind choice for the culinary and culturally curious, nature seekers and road trippers.
Commencing activity immediately, an integrated communications strategy will spotlight Maine’s distinctive character, acclaimed gastronomy scene, coastal positioning and abundance of nature and adventure offerings to inspire travel, increase product availability and encourage UK leisure visitors to increase their length of stay. Maine Office of Tourism’s global campaign, ‘Forged by Nature’, will be woven into all activity and remain central to its storytelling.
Activity will span a full-service approach, including trade engagement, co-op campaigns, training programs, itinerary and product development, press office, group and individual press trips, events, brand and media partnerships, with the objective of strengthening Maine’s identity as a destination in its own right, as well as a must-include state for wider New England touring.
Carolann Ouellette, Director of the Maine Office of Tourism, commented: “As the most easterly point of the USA, Maine has long welcomed UK travellers from across the Atlantic who seek authentic, nature-based experiences. This is an exciting moment for Maine as we strengthen a long-term market presence with our own brand, while leveraging and expanding partnerships with Discover New England and Brand USA to achieve visitation and sustained international demand. Black Diamond’s expertise and wealth of industry connections will help us increase awareness of what makes Maine an obvious choice for curious travellers.”
Jim Odoire, Managing Director at Black Diamond, added “We’re extremely proud to be partnering with Maine at this pivotal moment in its growth strategy and look forward to building strong visibility, advocacy and long-term impact in the UK as we raise destination awareness and guide consumers from discovery through to booking.”
Maine is home to 16 counties with 23 cities, 434 towns, nearly 32,000 miles of rivers and streams and over 600,000 acres of state and national parks, including the 92-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park (location of Mt. Katahdin and the northern end of the Appalachian Trail). The state spans 3,500 miles of coastline and about 2,000 islands. Known for its seafood and farm-to-table culinary scene, 82 percent of all American lobsters are sourced in the state’s waters and 99% of the nation’s wild blueberries are harvested in Maine. Boston serves as the main international entry point for visitors travelling to Maine from the UK.
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