Maine tourism surge fuels higher spending on outdoor attractions

The Maine Office of Tourism’s 2025 impact report said tourism represented a $16.6 billion economic impact statewide, with 14.1 million visitors who spent $9.4 billion, more than half of them in the summer months. While the total number of visitors fell slightly from 2024, stays were longer and spending higher. In Aroostook County, 170 million dollars was spent, generating an economic impact north of $251 million.

Among the outdoor sites drawing attention, the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge near the former Loring Air Force Base offers 13 miles of trails, wildlife observation blinds and a drive‑through road across 5,300 acres. Acadia National Park’s Beehive Trail was highlighted by travel site Lost with Lydia as one of the nation’s best hikes, praised for its iron rungs, cliff climbs and panoramic views, and rated 4.9 out of 5 on AllTrails, attracting sizable crowds despite its “hard” difficulty rating.