Grays Harbor Fairgrounds

Southern Maryland community calendar, July 28-Aug. 4, 2011

Thursday, Aug. 4

Science of flight, for ages 7-12. Experiment with paper airplanes, whirly copters and balloon-powered rockets. 2:30-4:30 p.m., Leonardtown library, 23250 Hollywood Rd. Free. 301-475-2846.

Land preservation and parks forum, comments are invited on the preliminary draft of St. Mary’s County’s 2012 land preservation, parks and recreation plan. 5:30 p.m., Chesapeake Building, 41770 Baldridge St., Leonardtown. Free. 301-475-4200, Ext. 1811, or kathy.bailey@stmarysmd.com .

— Compiled by Bonnie Smith

To submit an event

E-mail: smliving@washpost.com
Fax: 410-267-6972
Mail: Community calendar, Southern Maryland Local Living, The Washington Post, 3 Church Cir., Annapolis, Md. 21401.

Tourism in GH is looking up | Grays Harbor Blog

Brent Hunter of Grays Harbor Tourism says 2009’s tourism numbers were great, and the way this year has been, the official count (out in early 2011) will be at least as good.

“In 2009 we had 4.3 million people, and they spent $269 million for goods and services in the county,” Hunter, marketing and public relations coordinator, said. “That’s fantastic. That’s amazing.”

Those numbers put Grays Harbor in the “top 10 or 12” of counties for tourism in the state. Hunter said it would be pretty hard to compete with King County, but he has his eye on some of the areas with comparable populations and attractions to the Harbor.

“I’d like to move up,” Hunter said.

Other goals include a rest stop and possibly a visitor center on Highway 12 coming into the Harbor.

The tourism trend for the state, and the Harbor, is positive, too.

“With the economy, people are staying close to home,” Hunter said. The weak American dollar is also encouraging European and Canadian explorers, who often have seen Grays Harbor ads on television. Vancouver, B.C. is one of the main sources of local tourists.

“I ask why they come, and they say, ‘We like the rainforest in Quinault,’” Hunter said. “But they have rainforest where they live.”

Grays Harbor is also an affordable destination for Washingtonians, making it a popular place. And our outdoor activities – hiking, clamming, beach combing, fishing and boating – are also popular. What makes this extra astounding is that our local tourism infrastructure has so much room to grow, Hunter said. With rivers ripe for kayak tours, a still-vibrant demand for an Ocean Shores to Westport ferry, and many openings for restaurants at different price points and cuisines (“Culinary tourism is huge,” Hunter said), there are many opportunities to build the infrastructure to support what tourism we already have.

“I can see development happening in the county, in downtown Aberdeen,” Hunter said. “It’s not pie in the sky.”

“If we want to encourage tourism, don’t put the cart in front of the horse,” Hunter said. “What else can we do in the community to give people a reason to stop, shop, eat and see what you have?”

Hunter said a great way to build tourism infrastructure county-wide is for smaller communities to come up with branding for themselves that supports their identity and the events and attractions they already have.

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