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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                 CONTACT:      Susan O’Brien
March 3, 2017                                                                                                         443-254-6000

MARYLAND TOURISM COALITION PRESENTS TOURISM ADVOCATE AWARD TO GOVERNOR & COMPTROLLER FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF “LET SUMMER BE SUMMER” CAMPAIGN

Governor & Comptroller also declared March as Maryland Wine Month

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Tourism Coalition (MTC), led by Board Chair Michael Haynie and Executive Director Wini Roche, today presented Governor Larry Hogan and Comptroller Peter Franchot its coveted Tourism Advocate award during the annual Tourism Day in Annapolis. The Maryland Park Commission also presented Senator Ed Kasemeyer with the State Park Legislative Champion award in honor of his support of Maryland State Forests and Parks.

“With one signature on an Executive Order to start the school year after Labor Day, Governor Hogan has enabled Maryland families to enjoy their summers again. His action, along with Comptroller Franchot’s longtime support, will help thousands of mostly locally owned, family-operated businesses regain lost income,” said Ms. Roche.

The Governor’s executive order, signed on August 31, 2016, declared that all Maryland public schools begin the 2017-2018 school year after Labor Day and end by June 15.

“Tourism is a driving force in Maryland’s economy that creates jobs, supports our small businesses, and generates billions of dollars in revenue to our state each year,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “It has and will always be a top priority of our administration,” said Governor Hogan.

For several years, Comptroller Franchot had championed the effort after meeting with business leaders from Ocean City, Deep Creek Lake and other vacation destinations around Maryland.

“Marylanders overwhelmingly support starting school after Labor Day,” said Comptroller Franchot. “Families get more time to spend together, small businesses see more sales, and by ending by June 15^th, students experience a more compact academic schedule that maximizes learning without constant disruptions.”

The awards were the highlight of the day, which brings together more than 300 tourism industry partners to meet one-on-one with their legislators and discuss the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Tourism Development and Marketing budget, as well as other bills pending that impact tourism.

After the awards ceremony, Governor Hogan and Comptroller Franchot officially proclaimed March as Maryland Wine Month to showcase Maryland wine growers, a significant contributor to Maryland’s tourism economy.

Maryland tourism is the state’s 10^th largest private sector employer with more than 144,000 employees. Over 40 million visitors to Maryland spent roughly $17 billion in the state in 2015, according to a recent study.

A full economic impact of tourism in Maryland study, recently completed by nationally renowned Oxford Economics is available here.

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Produced by the Maryland Office of Tourism Development, Destination Maryland is an inspirational travel guide that combines stunning photography and stories written by Maryland writers.

This year’s guide includes works from authors who have also written for publications including National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian, and Washingtonian, and offers travel ideas including adventures of all kinds, road trip suggestions and tips from Maryland experts including celebrity chefs Brian and Michael Voltaggio. Destination Maryland is available at state Welcome Centers, restaurants, and other tourist locations and can be ordered free online at visitmaryland.org.

It’s a great time to be a foodie with six great restaurant weeks on the menu in January. Enjoy seasonal specials and prix fixe menu options at
Baltimore Restaurant Week, January 13-22;
Bethesda Magazine Restaurant Week, January 13-22;
National Harbor Restaurant Week, January 14-20;
Harford County Restaurant Week, January 20-29; and
Baltimore County Restaurant Week, January 20-February 4.

The Maryland Hotel Lodging Association has put out a call for nominations for their 28th annual “Stars of the Industry” awards. Nominations fall under three categories: Employee Awards, Lodging Property Achievement Awards, and Allied Member Awards, and must be received by January 13. Award winners will be announced at the Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon to be held on Tuesday, February 7 at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve in Hanover. For more information follow this link.

MTC NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Maryland Tourism Coalition has named Wini Roche as the organization’s new executive director.

The leading advocacy organization for Maryland’s tourism industry, MTC is a non-profit membership association that represents the state’s tourism industry and supports the efforts of the Maryland Office of Tourism Development.

Roche will administer day-to-day operations for the organization, which includes managing all communications activities, growing membership, and lobbying local, county and state officials on behalf of the tourism industry.

“Wini brings a passion for tourism and a love for all things Maryland,” says MTC Chairman Kevin Atticks, founder of Grow & Fortify. “We are confident that she is the right person to help us move our organization forward.”

Originally from Cambridge, Maryland, Roche has more than 20 years of experience as an award-winning destination marketing professional and grassroots tourism advocate. She served as tourism director in Dorchester County from 1994-2001 and was instrumental in the continuing revitalization of this Chesapeake town. She was a founder of Sailwinds Park and worked with local and state lawmakers to bring the waterfront development project to fruition, including the multi-million dollar visitor center, the public park, and event space.

She also helped galvanize the Dorchester County community around the concept of heritage tourism and began the planning process that has led to the county’s designation as a Certified Heritage Area and resulted in the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom scenic by-way and Harriet Tubman State Park.

Roche later moved to the northern part of the Bay where she created a tourism program for the City of Havre de Grace and established the town as a destination for weddings and leisure travel. In 2006, she became the tourism and marketing manager for Harford County Government and brought the county notoriety with the “Harford County Love it!” campaign and her popular video blog series, “Where’s Wini?”

She worked to increase local tourism funding and helped secure a local lodging tax that would be dedicated to tourism marketing activities. She led the charge to create Visit Harford!, a conference and visitors bureau that would become a public-private partnership and would ultimately be funded with revenue from the hotel tax.

In August 2015, Roche launched her own tourism and marketing consulting firm, Roche & Associates. Her company was contracted to manage the Maryland Tourism and Travel Summit, MTC’s signature event, held at Turf Valley Resort last October.

She also served a term on the gubernatorial-appointed Maryland Tourism Development Board and was a board member of the Maryland Tourism Coalition for more than 13 years where she volunteered to promote awareness of the tourism industry through the Tourism Works for Maryland Campaign. She was the organizer of Tourism Day in Annapolis since 2010 where hundreds of industry leaders convene in Annapolis during the General Assembly Session to meet with elected leaders and heighten the awareness of the tourism industry.

Roche and her husband Mark reside in Havre de Grace, with children Michael, Alex and Andrew. She also is a board member of the Chesapeake Heritage Conservancy that is working to restore the Skipjack Martha Lewis. She enjoys musical theater and is a board member of the Tidewater Players.

“Tourism makes a difference in the lives of Marylanders” says Wini Roche. “I look forward to all the ways we can make that difference even greater.”