Maine’s reputation as a safe place for families to visit may bolster the state’s tourism industry, which already is seeing strong advance bookings and inquiries for the upcoming season.

Safety and security are more important than ever after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., said Bob Smith, owner of the Sebasco Harbor Resort in Phippsburg.

“Maine has a positive image of being safe and comfortable. After what happened last fall, I think that … will attract new vacationers from throughout the United States,” Smith said.

Vaughn Stinson, executive director of the Maine Tourism Association, said all signs are positive. “Quite frankly, I’m willing to go out on a limb and say 2002 could be a record year for Maine tourism,” he said.

Stinson is optimistic because of the large pool of potential visitors within a short driving distance from Canada to Pennsylvania.

“That’s a population base of more than 23 million people and with airfares not as deeply discounted as in the past, people are going to be looking to drive to a safe place for their vacation,” he said.

The Maine Office of Tourism has directed its marketing campaign to the Middle Atlantic states, said director Dann H. Lewis.

The office is doing TV advertising in Boston, New York and, for the first time, Philadelphia. Newspaper inserts also have been published in the New York Times and Boston Globe.

The only potential glitch in the season was the drought, but recent rainfall means lakes and rivers are at normal levels. Greg Zielinski, the state climatologist, said he gets plenty of inquiries but they have nothing to do with the drought.

“I haven’t had a question about water levels. It’s usually about average temperatures and what they should wear,” he said.