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March
7,
2008 She explains how the tourism industry comprises numerous layers of both large and small businesses, along with the millions of “invisible people” who support tourism – printers, laundry workers, landscapers, fishermen, delivery people and a host of others. “A restaurateur, for instance, mentioned how people who come to Maryland want to try our seafood,” she says, “and how important it is to have the fishermen and everyone else who’s involved in providing that seafood in place.” Tourism professionals are also obviously vital to a thriving tourism industry. “I’m always impressed by the quality of the people in the field,” she says. “They are Maryland’s greatest cheerleaders.” Sher cites challenges that must be met for the industry to keep growing. “For years, tourism was taken for granted – there was a ‘build it and they’ll come’ mindset. Now, we have to be increasingly competitive,” she says. “We have to know what’s happening in the marketplace.” She mentions the hectic schedules that many people have and how they must adjust their schedules to accommodate vacations or outings. Traveling shorter distances and spending less time away, she points out, can work to Maryland’s advantage. “We have to create new ideas for tourism,” she says, “and compete for these trips.” Attractions in and around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, for example, are now wrestling with “getting visitors to come back – repeat visitation.” Sher has more than 25 years of experience promoting the attractions of both Baltimore and Maryland. She has also been a consultant for a variety of aquariums and cultural organizations in the United States and Europe.
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