Maryland tourism

More than 43.5 million people visited Maryland in 2022 and spent $19.4 billion, topping pre-pandemic levels, according to an economic impact report recently released by the Maryland Department of Commerce Office of Tourism. In total, the economic impact of tourism was $30.3 billion and generated $2.3 billion in state and local taxes, saving each Maryland household $1,000 in annual taxes.

The report also found that tourism is the 10th largest private-sector employer in the state and supports more than 187,000 jobs. The largest employers within the tourism sector are the food and beverage industry (52,373 jobs), followed by the lodging industry (22,972 jobs).

The sector accounts for 1 in 20 jobs in Maryland, with workers in the industry earning nearly $10 billion in wages. The report was prepared by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company that measures tourism spending and economic impact.

$2M to EARN Maryland

Gov. Wes Moore on Oct. 30 announced that the Maryland Department of Labor received an additional $2 million in grants to expand the Employment Advancement Right Now Maryland program. The 13 new awards will allow more than 700 Marylanders to receive industry-driven occupational training and meaningful connections to employment opportunities offered by more than 200 participating employers and industry partners.

EARN Maryland awards funding to strategic industry partnerships that comprise employers, non-profits, higher education institutions, local workforce development boards, and local governments. Based upon employer-identified training needs, partnerships provide education and skills training to unemployed and underemployed Marylanders. The program also includes career advancement strategies for incumbent workers.
A 2022 study on the economic impact of EARN determined that for every dollar Maryland invests into the program, an additional $17.34 created positive economic activity for the state. Compared to Maryland's national and regional counterparts, this positive activity exceeded the national average by almost $14.

Since the start of the EARN program in 2013, nearly 9,000 individuals trained through EARN have obtained employment, and over 11,000 incumbent workers have participated in training for in-demand careers and employment opportunities. For more information on EARN Maryland, please visit labor.maryland.gov/earn.

Rocket Lab comes to Md.

Governor Wes Moore recently announced that Rocket Lab USA, Inc., a global leader in launch and space systems, is planning to establish a Space Structures Complex to manufacture composite products for spacecraft and rockets at the former Lockheed Martin Vertical Launch Building in Middle River. The company will renovate 113,000 square feet of space located at 2323 Eastern Boulevard to host equipment and supplies.

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with headquarters in Long Beach, California, a launch site in Wallops, Virginia, and manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada. Rocket Lab’s technology was used in the James Webb Space Telescope, which was developed with help from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, and is operated from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

Rocket Lab anticipates creating 65 permanent full-time jobs at the new location by December 2025. The facility will enable the development and manufacturing of carbon-composite spacecraft buses, structural panels and assemblies, satellite dispensers, aeroshell and heat shields, composite overwrap pressure vessels, solar panel substrates, launch vehicle structures and more. 

Upper Shore Aging

Upper Shore Aging was recently awarded a 2023 Thome Aging Well grant to support the expansion of its diabetes education program for seniors. The goal of the grant project is to use the more than 84,000 Meals on Wheels meals delivered annually throughout the country as a vehicle for diabetes/health screening and education, social connection and engagement in Senior Center services.

The Thome Aging Well program is a four-year, $19 million initiative from Enterprise Community Partners to help older adults living in affordable communities age safely and securely at home. Funded by the Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, Bank of America trustee, the program awarded $6 million in grants this year to scale aging-in-place initiatives with a track record of success by 22 nonprofits in Maryland and Michigan.

Upper Shore Aging serves seniors in Caroline, Kent and Talbot counties.