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April 2019

Dear Colleagues,  
 
I am pleased to greet you as the new Executive Director of Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.

Tourism is a competitive industry, but thanks to your efforts, Massachusetts excels as a destination of choice for leisure and business travelers.  I am excited to collaborate with you going forward to further strengthen our robust travel and tourism industry. 

I would like to take a moment to thank Francois-Laurent Nivaud for his leadership and dedication to travel and hospitality in Massachusetts.  

I look forward to meeting you, and please feel free to reach out to MOTT if we can be of assistance.
Sincerely,

 Keiko Matsudo Orrall
 Executive Director

 

Industry Spotlight
Lisa Wieland
All Aboard!
Lisa S. Wieland is director of Boston Port and oversees Flynn Cruiseport Boston and other maritime operations. We spoke to Lisa about the upcoming cruise season, ongoing improvements to Flynn Cruiseport Harbor and the economic value of having a robust port. Read more...



By the Numbers

 

Lodging Data for U.S. & Massachusetts: February 2019 vs. February 2018

  • In February 2019, the Occupancy Rate in MA (57.2%) increased by 1.1%, compared to February 2018. The Occupancy Rate across the U.S. grew by 0.7% to 62.2%.
  • Rooms Sold in MA totaled 1.3 million, a growth of 4.1% compared to the U.S. growth in Rooms Sold of 2.8% to 91.0 million.
  • The Average Daily Rate in MA of $139.91 was a 2.7% increase, which was greater than the U.S. ADR growth of 1.9% to $128.94.
  • Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) increased by 3.9% in MA to $80.07 and outperformed the 2.6% growth to $80.15 in the U.S.
  •  
  • Room Revenue in MA totaled $183.4 million, up 6.9% and far ahead of the U.S. which was up 4.8% to 11.7 billion.

 

Lodging Data for U.S. & MA: February 2019 vs. February 2018

  • In the first two months of 2019, the Occupancy Rate in MA (53.4%) decreased by 2.0% compared to February 2018. The Occupancy Rate across the U.S. grew by 0.7% to 58.3%.
  • Rooms Sold in MA totaled 2.6 million, an increase of 0.8%, compared to the U.S. growth in Rooms Sold of 2.7% to 179.6 million.
  • The Average Daily Rate in MA of $138.57 was a 1.7% increase, which was slightly more than the U.S. ADR growth of 1.4% to $126.72.
  • Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) decreased by 0.4% in MA to $73.95 and underperformed the 2.0% growth to $73.82 in the U.S.
  • Room Revenue in MA totaled $356.0 million, down 2.5% lagging the U.S., which was up 4.1% to 22.8 billion.

 

Industry News

Discover New England’s 24th Annual Tourism Summit & International Marketplace
Registration is now open for the 24th Annual Discover New England Tourism Summit & International Marketplace - the only international trade event entirely focused on New England. 

The summit takes place on May 13-15, 2019 at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, CT. Consisting of a 2-day marketplace and networking events, the DNE summit enables New England tourism-based businesses to participate in one-on-one meetings and develop relationships with key tour operators and travel media. Showcase your business internationally without leaving New England!

Visit the DNE Summit page to register.
 
ArtWeek 2019 is almost here!
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism is proud to be a Lead Champion of ArtWeek 2019, which takes place from April 26 – May 5. The award-winning statewide festival will feature nearly 600 unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive or offer behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process.
 
ArtWeek spotlights the creative economy in Massachusetts, offering unique and affordable neighborhood-based events that provide increased access to art, culture, and creativity. To learn more about the festival and this year’s activities, visit www.artweekma.org.
 
Cruiseport Boston Launches 2019 Cruise Season
The cruise season in Massachusetts opened early this year on Friday, March 29, when the Norwegian Gem pulled into port at Flynn Cruiseport Boston. In 2019, 21 different cruise lines and 34 unique cruise ships will call at Boston. Cruiseport expects to see a record-breaking 410,000 passengers this year, which will support 1,000 local jobs, generate $56 million in business revenue and contribute $23 million in federal, state and local taxes. View the complete 2019 cruise schedule here.
 
Notable Media Coverage
Check out the French language Michelin Green Guide on Massachusetts and New England, which offers extensive travel information and utilizes the Michelin star rating system to rank places to visit. Author Mathilde Piton visited different regions in Massachusetts last June to update the guide. A big thank you to the regional tourism councils who assisted in hosting Mathilde’s visit.

Massachusetts Film Office

For a schedule of film festivals in Massachusetts this month and throughout the year, visit MAfilm.org/.

MOTT Bulletin Board

MOTT FAM Leads
Check out the MOTT FAM Leads page for more information on upcoming opportunities to host travel writers and tour operators. Thank you for your efforts in promoting travel and tourism into Massachusetts. Please contact Maria Speridakos if you have any questions or would like to learn more about international FAM opportunities.
 
FREE means FREE!
With so many amazing free things to do in Massachusetts, we created a FREE category listing in our online calendar of events at massvacation.com. Now, you can add your organization’s cost-free events to MOTT’s year-round calendars. Just visit massvacation.com and click on ‘submit your listing’ on the bottom of the homepage. With questions, please reach out to John Alzapiedi. 
 
50 Great Things to do Under $50
MOTT’s ’50 Under $50’ special deals page is consistently ranked as one of our most visited web pages each month. To list a special deal offered by your organization, the offer must be valid for a two month duration and the admission of $50 must cover either:  two adults or two adults with two children 12 and under. We are currently accepting ’50 Under $50’ offers for May/June and July/August; please send your offers for consideration to:  Phyllis M. Cahaly.

Photo Credit: Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston