As we enter the all-important summer season, it is obvious the Cape Ann tourism community is stronger, more resilient, more innovative, and more diverse than ever – and we saw that clearly in the May 20 meeting of the Greater Cape Ann Tourism Council.
Our spirit of innovation was reflected in a review of the Winter Birding Season activities we launch earlier this year. We spoke about the success of the final presentation in the Winter Birding Speaker Series – a well-attended event at the Emerson Inn on April 30. Many agreed that the success of this year’s expanded activities was an important part – together with other new and returning efforts this winter – in helping to extend the tourism season, a key objective of the Tourism Council.
The innovation of the tourism community was also evidenced in efforts around Cape Ann Works, a program aimed at attracting much-need student workers to the region with a full suite of support. The work of the organizers has helped us engage more than 50 international student workers, and there are also efforts focused on local student workers. The Tourism Council pledged its support to help raise the visibility of this program with local students and businesses.
The strength and diversity of the tourism community was on display in our May 4 Spring Tourism Mixer. Despite some weather challenges, the event attracted more than 75 participants representing all of Cape Ann and a broad variety of business. The focus was on “what’s new” and we heard from many new – and renewed – businesses…including our hosts for the evening, the Vista Motel, which showcased its recently debuted Breakfast Pavilion as our event venue.
The resilience of the tourism community was exemplified by the look ahead to summer 2022. We learned of the return of many more of the summer events and activities that were impacted by the pandemic over the past two years, and we received updates on the promotional materials that help tourists fully appreciated all that Cape Ann has to offer. We received positive business updates from Council members and learned of recent media reports that reinforce the reflect the optimism we feel for the season ahead.
We ended this month’s meeting with a look beyond summer to the fall and holiday months and the exciting year ahead. The Council agreed that we should take advantage of the busy summer season to make visitors aware of plans for later in 2022 and the Gloucester 400 plans for 2023.
We will continue our discussion of these and tourism happenings in our next monthly meeting, scheduled for Friday, June 17. If you’d like to join us for this or future Tourism Council meetings – held the third Friday of each month at the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce offices – please email me at tsapienza@gmail.com
Tony Sapienza
Co-owner, Blue Shutters Beachside Inn
Chair, Tourism Council
