Tourism Council Update – May 2026
Tourism Council April Update: Preparing for the Summer Season with our May 12 Spring Tourism Mixer and More!
One of the highlights of the year for businesses and organizations focused on visitors to Greater Cape Ann is the annual Spring Tourism Mixer, and this was a topic of conversation at the April 17 meeting of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Tourism Council.
This year, the Spring Tourism Mixer will be held on May 12 at the Rockport Art Association & Museum (RAA&M), a venue that reminds us of Rockport’s popularity with visitors as well as the important role arts & culture play in Greater Cape Ann’s tourism experience. Attendees of that evening’s event – which will run from 5-7 pm – will have an opportunity to tour RAA&M, one of the region’s true art treasures. As we’ve done in past years, the 2026 Mixer will also include updates from members of the tourism community and a sampling of Greater Cape Ann’s cuisine, thanks to dishes being offered by several area restaurants. The Mixer is open to anyone involved in or interested in tourism on Greater Cape Ann – and given the important role of our visitor-based economy, that could include all of us. Visit bit.ly/SpringTourismMixer to register and to learn more about the event.
Other highlights from the April Tourism Council meeting were guest presentations by Cape Ann Museum Director Oliver Barker and Manchester-by-the-sea sculptor Elisa Vanelli – both addressing major summer highlights. Oliver shared an update on the Museum, which is scheduled to re-open its downtown campus later next month after a major renovation. We received a preview of the much-anticipated reopening and heard about some of the exciting exhibits planned for this summer. Elisa discussed another highly anticipated happening – the upcoming unveiling of Atlantis, a mermaid sculpture that will grace Manchester Harbor. Elisa hopes Atlantis will be introduced to the community this summer. Visit her site to learn more.
With the busy summer season almost upon us, there are many events – in addition to the Tourism Mixer – planned to make sure we’re prepared, and we discussed some of these at our April meeting. On May 6, Discover Gloucester will celebrate the launch of its new DiscoverGloucester.com website and the 2026–2027 Visitor Guide. The event will be at Oak to Ember from 5:30-7:30 pm. Click here to register.
On May 21, the Visitor Center at Gloucester’s Stage Fort Park will hold its annual open house, from 5:30-7:30 pm. This is an opportunity to meet the Center’s front-line volunteers and again share updates on our businesses. Click here to learn more and to register.
The Council also talked about one of the first milestones of the tourism season, Motif #1 Day, which will take place on May 16. Click here to learn more.
As we’ve done in past months, the Council also discussed issues important to the tourism community, including transportation, parking, and downtown development.
We’ll have a report on all of this and more – including an updated look ahead to other summer highlights in our next Tourism Council meeting, on May 15. Anyone who is involved in or has an interest in Greater Cape Ann’s visitor-based economy is invited to join us for this and upcoming monthly meetings. We gather on the third Friday of each month at the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce offices — and via Zoom. If you’d like to be part of these discussions, please reach out to me or contact the Chamber staff.
We hope to see you at the Spring Tourism Mixer on May 12!
Tony Sapienza
Co-owner, Blue Shutters Beachside Inn
Chair, Tourism Council
tsapienza@gmail.com
Learn more about the Greater Cape Ann Chamber’s Tourism Council