Symposium to focus on car-free vacations

BANGOR – Community members interested in learning about this summer’s cruise program of the American Cruise Line and future rail and sail programs of the Acadian Railway in Maine are urged to attend a seminar 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 17, the Sheraton Four Points in Bangor, the first ever of its kind in Maine.

The symposium combines the efforts of the CruiseMaine Coalition, the Maine Port Authority, the Maine Office of Tourism, Maine Department of Transportation Office of Passenger Transportation and the city of Bangor.

“It’s crucial that we reach out to the tourism sector that wants to explore Maine, but has no desire to drive,” said Amy Powers, director of the coalition. “As we look to the future of car-free vacationing in Maine, it was our desire to create an opportunity to provide information about our tourism attractions and infrastructure assets to transportation providers.

Attendees will learn about the Bangor waterfront re-development project, DOT’s Explore Maine Initiative, U.S. Coast Guard Security considerations in the wake of 9-11 and the importance of good tour and excursion programs when marketing a destination.

Bangor is the new homeport for the American Cruise Lines’ vessel, the American Eagle, a 31-stateroom American-flagged vessel that will cruise the Penobscot River to Castine, Bar Harbor, Rockland, Camden, Belfast and Bucksport. For more information about the cruise line, visit www.americancruiseline.com.

The Acadian Railway is currently operating passenger train service from Portland to Montreal, with a two-night stopover in Greenville. For more on the Acadian Railway, see www.thetraincollection.com.

The CruiseMaine coalition was formed to support marketing activities related to attracting cruise lines to the coast of Maine. More information about the coalition and online registration for the symposium may be found at www.cruisemaineusa.com.