DART ’ s primary mission is to promote tourism in DownEast Acadia , Washington and Hancock Counties . DART works with organizational partners and businesses to provide opportunities for collaboration , education , product development and other programs to strengthen the position of the DownEast Acadia Region as an exemplary place to live , work , and play .
DART is composed of entities who work together to develop , manage , support and promote the best natural , recreational , and cultural assets in Washington and Hancock Counties . DART members and partners include chambers of commerce , economic development groups , regional planners , educational institutions , municipalities , professional business organizations , recreation and conservation groups , cultural / heritage groups , historical societies , business owners , state agencies , and more .
Examples of successful tourism-based , citizen-led economic development projects directly resulting from regional collaborations include :
• 5 State & National Scenic Byways
• Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway
• Downeast Fisheries Trail
• Maine Sculpture Trail
• Maine Ice Age Trail
• DownEast Acadia Birding Trail
• Down East Sunrise Trail
• A large and growing network of public access on conservation lands
• 6 Maine Downtown / Main Street America Affiliate communities
Cultural Appeal – The accoutrements of the working waterfront industry include an array of brightly colored buoys , ropes , traps , bait-buckets , barrels , and more . For many , these tools of the maritime trade evoke nostalgia at days gone by , a vision of salty fishermen plying the seas , and an innate desire for raw connection with nature . Photo by The Blessing Bucket
The Washington / Aroostook CEDS outlines these tourism goals :
• By 2023 , increase overall dining and tourism revenues by 25 %, employment by 15 %, and grow non-peak season events by one a year .
• Market Aroostook and Washington County jointly to attract visitors and encourage longer stays .
164