Picking up where 2015 left off, Boothbay region merchants are reporting a strong start to the 2016 summer season as gas prices remain low and Americans continue to choose domestic destinations for their hard-earned vacations. 

“It’s been a fantastic year so far,” said Chris Swanson, owner of the Bayberry House bed and breakfast in Boothbay Harbor. “Because of the mild winter, our bookings started earlier.”

While most of the evidence is anecdotal, what hard numbers are available support the talk in town. One theory suggests more and more Americans are traveling domestically due to fears of international tourism, said Rocktide Motor Inn and restaurant general manager John Sullivan.

“It’s a great time to travel in America,” said Sullivan. “Gas prices are low and with so much instability overseas, it’s a safer alternative.”

The Rocktide has been in a 10-year cycle of sluggish to modest gains in their overall sales, he added. While the region as a whole continues to be healthy, the options have increased five-fold, which has hurt larger establishments in the area.

“It’s a smaller slice of the pie to go around,” said Sullivan. “When I started 30 years ago, there were maybe nine hotels and an equal number of restaurants. Now there are 70 to 90 restaurants in the region. People don’t want to eat at the same place every night, I understand that.”

On the retail side, merchants such as the Boothbay Harbor popcorn shop said business is brisk.

“June numbers were way up over last year,” said Paul Roberts, owner of the Coastal Maine Popcorn Company in Boothbay Harbor. “So far July is up, also. We are very pleased.”

The strong early start is an indication the Boothbay region and the rest of New England are finally out of the economic downturn caused by the global credit crisis of 2008. While the effects of the recession have been well-documented, they also gave rise to the concept of a “staycation,” a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.

According to a published report in the Bangor Daily News, restaurant and lodging sales climbed more than four percent for the period from April to June 2014, compared with sales for 2013. 

While the actual number of visitors is calculated by the Maine Turnpike Authority, this year has been especially strong, said Chistopher Fogg, chief executive officer for the Maine Tourism Association.

“I’m hearing it’s been a great start statewide,” said Fogg. “Certainly the warmer stretch of weather helps and gets people out of Boston and New York and into Maine.”

With Acadia National Park celebrating its centennial this year, a trickle-down effect is occurring as visitors make multiple stops in Maine on their way to and back from Bar Harbor, said Fogg.

“Acadia has gotten a ton of press coverage lately which benefits the entire state,” said Fogg.

On a local level, the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce said members are happy, which typically means business is meeting or exceeding expectations.

“The Chamber is constantly trying to refine its marketing approach to bring the most value to our members' promotional efforts, and every year we try to assess what avenues for promoting the region had the best success,” said Chamber Executive Director Rick Prose. “There are certainly ‘outlier’ years in which the uptick in visitors to the region goes beyond expectations. A better economic outlook, cheaper gas prices and amazing weather have certainly contributed.”