Southern Maine Outdoor Recreation Industry Profile and Strategy

The Challenge

Recognizing the outdoor recreation industry’s current role in Maine and its potential to have an even greater role, the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) initiated an effort to clarify opportunities for additional growth in the recreation equipment manufacturing industry and recreation amenities within the region and establish strategies for pursuing this growth.

The Solutions

The SMPDC hired Camoin Associates to complete an outdoor recreation industry profile and strategy. The resulting profile provided detailed information on 1) the market for outdoor recreation goods and services being produced and sold and 2) the overall use and demand for the outdoor recreation amenities themselves within the region. This two-pronged approach was designed to get to the core benefits of outdoor recreation — the jobs and sales associated with creating the products and services, as well as the quality-of-life attributes that make for a great place to live and visit.

An impact analysis measuring the contribution of the outdoor recreation industry to Southern Maine was also conducted to understand the multiplier effect of this critical industry.

The Impact

A series of focus groups and interviews were held to gather information from business owners, outdoor recreation advocates, and public officials about the key challenges and opportunities they see for the industry in the near future.

From this research, a strategic action plan was created to guide SMPDC’s efforts to strengthen the outdoor recreation industry in the near future.

Services Provided:

• Outdoor recreation industry definition
• Economic impact analysis
• Target industry analysis
• Focus groups
• Stakeholder interviews
• Strategy development