PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine lodge operators and innkeepers can begin accepting reservations starting June 1 for Maine residents and out-of-state residents who comply with the state’s 14-day quarantine requirement, officials said Thursday.
The move represents a loosening of restrictions that originally forbade out-of-state residents from reserving a room with an arrival date before July 1.
“We will continue to work closely with the tourism industry to make progress as we head into the summer,” said Commissioner Heather Johnson of the Department of Economic and Community Development.
This change comes as Gov. Janet Mills’ administration reexamines the 14-day quarantine requirement. The administration is seeking an alternative that still protects the health of Mainers.
Maine’s lodging industry has said the 14-day quarantine could be a deal breaker for tourists this summer.
“For communities like Old Orchard Beach, the mandate is not just a strain on our economy, it is a devastating blow,” said Rep. Lori Gramlich, a Democrat from Old Orchard Beach, a busy tourist destination.
