International Mountain Ski Guide Luis Benitez, whose climbing includes six ascents of Mount Everest, 32 climbs of Seven Summits peaks, and numerous others around the globe kicked off this year’s Maine Outdoor Economy Summit (MOES) on November 13-15 at the Sunday River Resort. Championing the outdoor recreation economy, he inspired more than 300 business leaders, community organization partners, policymakers, educators, economic developers, and youth leaders with his powerful presentation. Other sessions that followed discussed current trends, partnerships, strategies, and opportunities.
According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis published in late 2023, Maine is sixth in the nation for the value outdoor recreation provides its economy, and outdoor recreation is growing faster than the state economy overall. Check out additional Maine statistics below.