Tourism and hospitality groups urge Gov. Mills to nix quarantine restriction, reopen Maine’s economy

Collected
Seven teams representing different facets of Maine’s tourism and hospitality industry delivered an open letter to Maine Governor Janet Mills Tuesday urging the governor to eliminate the requirement that out-of-state travelers visiting Maine quarantine for two weeks after their arrival. The letter also called on the governor to trust Maine businesses to responsibly reopen their doors and work with them to build up a reopening plan that “is practical for Maine’s safety, and Maine’s financial future.”

“Maine’s tourism economy is in the verge of collapse and we are in need of your help,” it reads partly.

The open letter was co-signed by HospitalityMaine, Retail Association of Maine, Maine Tourism Association, Ski Maine Association, Visit Portland Maine, Visit Greater Bangor Maine and the Maine Campground Owners.

The full letter could be read below:

Dear Governor Mills,

As the tourism focused industries in Maine, we’d prefer to many thanks for your leadership during this time period. Now we’d as if you to turn that leadership toward a crucial part of Maine’s monetary health.

Maine’s tourism economy is going to be on the subject of the verge of collapse and we are in need of your help.

Maine is a destination and our summertime tourists, especially, provide year-round monetary stability and well-getting for a large number of Maine families.

We realize this because we represent the major solo industry in Maine’s market. We represent an industry that sustains over 110,000 jobs, generates practically $9 billion in sales, and contributes over $600 million in taxes to the state’s economy each year.

It doesn’t give up there.

Our businesses and staff members use and support thousands of various other Maine businesses. From fishing and farming to technology and finance, the interconnectedness of our Maine overall economy has never been more noticeable than now, in this pandemic.

Visitors Need To Feel Welcomed

We need to begin, today, making the future brighter for Maine residents. We must begin restoring the financial health of Maine’s people now.

To carry out so, Maine’s visitors have to feel welcomed. Tourists need to know they can safely go to Maine come early july without a quarantine.

Our Promise

We've done our portion as you’ve asked. We’ve closed our businesses. We’ve practiced physical distancing. We’ve appeared out for the very well being of us, friends and neighbors.

In turn, our pledge for you and to the persons of Maine is to incorporate our years of industry expertise and our deep and abiding passion for our superb state to create a conscientious way to reopen our tourism and hospitality businesses now.

Continue, we promise to:

  • Build, practice, and enforce smart, health insurance and safety protocols that produce sense for every business type that supports your administration’s checklists
  • Establish industry-wide protocols for monitoring the fitness of all staff before they connect with or greet our guests or customers
  • Use municipalities and state organizations to make sure open, regular communication
  • Our Plan Of Responsibility

We take the duty of our economic effect on this state seriously. We realize that daily we aren’t able to move forward means another frontline worker who doesn’t have a job, another business vulnerable to not reopening.

We have begun the task which will allow our industry to reasonably re-open:

  • This course of action follows CDC guidelines
  • Ensures a protected climate for staff and guests alike
  • Protects the fitness of our communities in every way possible
  • Maine’s businesses and industries will be ready to be responsible. And we, as if you, are requesting the people of Maine to get responsible.

Now we need you to rely upon our commitment one to the other and why don't we be responsible

Please Remove The 14 Day Quarantine

Governor Mills, please contemplate our appeal to remove the 14 day quarantine restriction and instead, use our industry’s most trusted leaders to build up a reopening plan which makes sense for Maine’s safety, and Maine’s economic future.

From the western majestic mountains to the scenic coastline, from our Canadian borders to the Kittery bridge, it’s time for most of Maine to make contact with work.

And to do thus safely and responsibly.
Source: https://www.themainewire.com

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