peaceful experiences in the less populated areas to the east . Visitor awareness about the area ’ s unique and accessible natural assets , welcoming communities , and lack of crowds is growing . Development and promotion of the Schoodic National Scenic Byway , Black Woods Scenic Byway , and Bold Coast National Scenic Byway and Bikeway , and the tens of thousands of open space and recreation areas held by land trusts contribute to this change .
DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism is the Destination Marketing Organization charged with marketing and promoting Washington and Hancock Counties , known collectively as DownEast Acadia , one of the eight tourism regions designated by the State of Maine .
A main goal of DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism , Maine Office of Tourism , and other regional destination development , destination marketing , and land management agencies across the region is to help visitors find the less-visited places . Moving visitors to underutilized places helps relieve pressure on Mount Desert Island and spread economic benefit to other parts of the region . It also helps more people to learn about and connect with the unique and often overlooked stories of Downeast Maine .
Maine Office of Tourism 2020 visitation data shows that the DownEast Acadia region experienced some of the greatest growth in visitation across Maine , despite Covid-induced travel restrictions ,
George Dorr , the “ Father of Acadia National Park ” – George Dorr was an American preservationist . Known as the “ father of Acadia National Park , he spent most of his adult life bringing the park into being , caring for the park , and expanding it . It was Dorr ’ s vision and passion that ensured these lands would be set aside for preservation and protection for future generations . Acadia was the first National Park in the eastern United States , one of the first in the entire system , and its establishment helped spur the national land conservation movement . Photo courtesy of Acadia National Park . and perhaps because of it . Second-home owners arrived early and stayed late . Maine residents who previously weren ’ t aware of the assets and quality of life right in their own backyards flocked to DownEast Acadia . Registered Maine Guides , wildlife boat tours , and bike / boat rentals were booked solid . Inns , rental homes , cabins , and campgrounds were full . For these businesses , increased visitation was critical to their survival . But increased visitation in natural areas brought management challenges that conservation organizations were unprepared to handle at such a rapid pace of change .
The 2020 season brought , for the first time outside of the main section of Acadia National Park , an over-extension of capacity at many recreation areas despite
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