2011 Tourism Partnership of the Year award

This year’s summit was held Nov. 2-4, at the Marriott Inn & Conference Center at UMUC in College Park, Maryland. The annual event is a gathering of the top tourism professionals in Maryland, along with venders, suppliers, supporters, government professionals, and elected officials.

The award presented to Dan Patrell, Publisher of Maryland Life magazine, is the highest honor given by MDMO.  The Tourism Partnership award is given to the person or entity that, in the estimation of the 25 members of MDMO (every county, plus Baltimore City and Ocean City), has provided the utmost cooperation and acted as an advocate and strong supporter and promoter of the Maryland tourism industry. The award is only given once per year by the organization of top tourism professionals in Maryland.

Tourism is a significant industry in Maryland. More than 29 million visitors spent more than $13.6 billion last year, and the tourism industry employs 134,000 people throughout the state. The industry generated more than $1.6 billion in tax revenues for state and local governments.  

 “Receiving this award is a big, big honor,” said Patrell, who is also President of the magazine’s parent company, Great State Publishing, LLC.  “Getting our readers to get out and discover what’s great throughout all of Maryland has been at the core of our mission since we started.  I can honestly say that this award was not expected and that it has touched all of us profoundly at the magazine.  We love what we do and who we work with – Maryland’s tourism industry professionals – and we thank them for their ongoing partnership with the magazine.”

“For travel industry professionals, tourism is economic development, providing jobs and economic impact. Tourism is a solid contribution to the state’s bottom line,” explained Tom Riford, President and CEO of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau and current MDMO President, who presented the honor to Maryland Life.  “Helping to tell that story is Maryland Life, which celebrates our state’s history and heritage, arts and culture, recreation and relaxation – all told beautifully, in each and every issue.”

Maryland Life magazine published its first bi-monthly issue in January 2005 with a feature called “State Secrets,” which identified must-visit sites in every Maryland county, Baltimore City and Ocean City.  More than 40 issues later, each issue is still packed with “secrets” that Marylanders can discover to find out more about the state. The magazine has a circulation of 60,000 with a readership of 300,000+, which includes subscribers, newsstands, business environments, economic development offices, and airlines and their clubrooms from the region’s major national and international airports.  

Another element behind the success of Maryland Life is its 90+ member Maryland Board, an advisory panel made up of individuals from every county, Baltimore City and Ocean City.  The advisory panel was created before the first issue was published.  Members of the Maryland Board meet regionally annually and provide story ideas, visibility ideas, and ways that the magazine can better connect with readers in each county and city of the state.

“This award reaffirms our mission,” said Patrell, “and some 40-plus issues later, it’s good to know that we can reach out to virtually any community in the state and find friends who can help us find the stories that need to be shared.”

 To find out more about MDMO, visit www.tourismworksformaryland.com.   To find out more about the Maryland Tourism and Travel Summit, visit www.MDTourism.org.  To find out more about the impact that tourism makes on Maryland’s economy, visit  www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/greatstate/tourismformd/.