Maryland Tourism Coalition

What Maryland Tourism Coalition does

Maryland Tourism Coalition (MTC) is a private non-profit trade association founded in 1974 and headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland. It functions as the only statewide coalition representing Maryland's tourism and travel industry, unifying hotels, attractions, restaurants, tour operators, transportation providers, cultural organizations, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and craft beverage businesses under a single advocacy and member-services body. MTC's mission centers on legislative advocacy, professional development, and networking on behalf of an industry it characterizes as a $17 billion Maryland economy employing nearly 150,000 residents.

The organization operates a portfolio of tiered membership programs (Business Memberships from $295-$545/year, NextGen Tourism Professional at $75/year, and Student Membership at $20/year) complemented by signature annual events — Tourism Day in Annapolis, Spring Seminar, Summer Soiree in Ocean City, and the Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit (MTTS), now in its 45th year. Supporting services include a member directory, job board, member offers platform, Weekly Legislative Report, and a workers' compensation insurance program delivered through the Restaurant Association of Maryland. MTC maintains an active legislative agenda with a dedicated Legislative Committee and testified 10 times in Annapolis during the 2025 session.

Technology infrastructure is limited to industry-standard association tooling: the Personify/Atlas member portal for applications, renewals, and event registration, supplemented by email newsletters and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, X). Revenue is generated through annual membership dues, event registration fees, and a base of approximately 20 annual corporate sponsors including the Maryland Office of Tourism, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Expedia Group. The organization is supported by a small paid staff of two (Executive Director Ruth Toomey and Executive Assistant Stuart Rice) and a 20-plus member volunteer Board of Directors and Executive Committee drawn from member organizations.

Name

Maryland Tourism Coalition

Legal name

Maryland Tourism Coalition Inc.

Website

https://mdtourism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Maryland Tourism Coalition is a 50-year-old, Annapolis-based non-profit trade association that unites and advocates for Maryland's $17 billion tourism industry through tiered memberships, signature events, and legislative lobbying on behalf of 312 member businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Annapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from businesses, municipalities, DMOs, and associations at various tiers ranging from $75 to $545 per year depending on organization type and budget size.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from signature events including Tourism Day, Spring Seminar, Summer Soiree, and Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit with tiered pricing for members vs non-members.
3. Sponsorship Revenue: Sponsorship packages for annual events and programs providing brand exposure and recognition to tourism industry suppliers and partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Maryland Tourism Coalition is a statewide membership-based trade association that represents and unites Maryland's tourism and travel industry through legislative advocacy, professional development events, and networking programs. Its core offering consists of tiered annual memberships (Business, NextGen, Student) that provide members with access to advocacy in Annapolis, signature events (Tourism Day, Spring Seminar, Summer Soiree, Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit), a member directory, job board, and supplemental member benefits such as workers' compensation insurance.

Product overview

The Maryland Tourism Coalition operates as a membership-based industry association offering a portfolio of programs and services united under its mission to Connect, Educate, and Represent Maryland's tourism industry. The core offering consists of tiered membership programs (Business, NextGen Tourism Professional, and Student memberships) that provide access to legislative advocacy, professional development events, and member benefits. Signature events include Tourism Day (annual legislative advocacy event in Annapolis), Summer Soiree (Ocean City elected officials reception), Spring Seminar (professional development), Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit (annual industry conference), and Holiday Party. Supporting services include a Job Board, Member Directory, Member Offers platform, Weekly Legislative Report, and a workers' compensation insurance program through partnership. The organization does not offer a technology product or SaaS platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Membership Standard membership tier for tourism and hospitality businesses providing access to MTC events, legislative advocacy, business directory listings, member-to-member deals, and industry research. Pricing tiers: Standard $295, Municipalities/DMO under $500K budget $395, Allied Members $450, Municipalities/DMO over $500K budget $545 per year.
• NextGen Tourism Professional Membership Specialized membership category launched in 2024 for emerging tourism professionals, offering reduced pricing at $75/year with access to networking, professional development, and industry events.
• Student Membership Entry-level membership for students pursuing careers in tourism and hospitality, priced at $20/year.
• Tourism Day Annual legislative advocacy event held in Annapolis during the General Assembly session, bringing together tourism professionals to meet with legislators and advocate for the industry. Tourism Day 2026 sold out with nearly 250 attendees.
• Summer Soiree Annual member appreciation and elected officials reception hosted in Ocean City, celebrating industry partnerships and providing networking opportunities with lawmakers. The 2025 edition set a record with more than 700 RSVPs.
• Spring Seminar Annual professional development event focusing on a specific tourism theme, featuring educational sessions and speaker presentations. Pricing ranges from $75 (early member) to $125 (late non-member).
• Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit (MTTS) Annual premier industry conference bringing together hospitality and tourism leaders for networking, education, awards, and collaboration. The 45th Annual Summit scheduled for November 2026 at the Baltimore Convention Center, welcoming more than 300 attendees annually.
• Job Board Online platform allowing members to post employment opportunities within the tourism and hospitality industry.
• Member Directory Online searchable directory listing MTC member businesses across all tourism industry segments.
• Member Offers Exclusive deals and discounts available to MTC members for member-to-member business benefits.
• Workers' Compensation Insurance Program Partnership with Restaurant Association of Maryland's Maryland Restaurant & Hospitality Self-Insurance Fund (MRHSIF) providing competitive workers' compensation insurance to members. Allied membership with RAM required at additional $100/year. Approximately 300 restaurants, breweries, hotels participate.

Quantifiable outcome

• Membership grew from 306 to 312 members in 2025 with 64 new members welcomed.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Maryland Office of TourismcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerState tourism office as annual sponsor and co-host of MTTS. MTC collaborates with the Maryland Office of Tourism on legislative advocacy and industry initiatives.
• Restaurant Association of MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing MTC members access to Workers' Compensation Insurance through MRHSIF program. Allied membership available for $100/year through RAM.
• Maryland Chamber FederationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMTC is a member of Maryland Chamber Federation representing 30+ chambers with access to 6,400+ businesses. Provides free federation membership for MTC members with 10 or fewer employees.
• Baltimore Convention CentermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual sponsor and host venue partner for MTTS 2026 in Baltimore.
• Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel CountymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Tourism Day 2026. Host venue partner for registration and networking.
• Experience Prince George'smajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty tourism organization co-hosting MTTS 2025 with welcoming reception at Denizens Brewing Company.
• The Hotel at University of MarylandmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost hotel for MTTS 2025 and annual sponsor. Primary venue partner for summit events.
• Maryland Sports CommissionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual sponsor and strategic partner for sports tourism initiatives.
• Visit MontgomerysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty DMO as annual sponsor and co-host of regional events.
• Visit FredericksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty DMO as annual sponsor and partner for Frederick County tourism initiatives.
• Visit Hagerstown & Washington County CVBsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Summer Soiree 2026. County tourism organization as annual sponsor.
• Ocean City Maryland Department of TourismsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty tourism organization hosting Summer Soiree venue partnership with Holiday Inn Oceanfront.
• Expedia GroupsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual sponsor providing travel technology partnership and marketing support.
• BWI Thurgood Marshall AirportsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAirport partner for accessibility initiatives and Spring Seminar speaker participation.
• D3supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual sponsor and partner for website accessibility sessions at Spring Seminar events.
• Maryland Restaurant & Hospitality Self-Insurance FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkers' compensation insurance program owned by Restaurant Association of Maryland available to MTC allied members. Approximately 300 restaurants, breweries, hotels participate.
• U.S. Travel AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational tourism association providing MTC access to research, data, and advocacy resources. Co-sanctioner of Destination Capitol Hill and National Travel & Tourism Week.
• Rams Head On StagesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnapolis venue partner hosting Tourism Day program events.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: Largest foodservice trade association in the U.S. MTC's allied membership partnership with the Restaurant Association of Maryland (a state affiliate) makes this a natural peer; both provide legislative advocacy, networking, and member benefits like the workers' compensation insurance program MTC offers through RAM.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National trade association representing the U.S. lodging industry. Comparable to MTC as a membership-based hospitality advocacy organization, with MTC's hotel/motel members being AHLA counterparts at the state level; both offer legislative advocacy, networking events, and educational programming.
• U.S. Travel Association: National travel and tourism trade association that serves as MTC's federal-level counterpart and strategic partner. Directly comparable as a membership-based advocacy organization representing the tourism industry, with overlapping member segments (hotels, DMOs, attractions) and parallel event/conference programming.

Direct peers

• Destinations International: Trade association for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and destination management companies. Comparable to MTC as a membership association serving tourism professionals with advocacy, education, and networking, though Destinations International focuses on DMO members while MTC serves a broader Maryland tourism coalition.
• Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association: State-level tourism and lodging trade association serving Pennsylvania. Direct functional peer to MTC, representing the same tourism industry segments (hotels, attractions, restaurants, DMOs) at the state level with advocacy, events, and education programs.
• Virginia Tourism Authority: State-level tourism trade association for Virginia. Comparable to MTC in mission (promoting and advocating for state tourism), structure (membership-based association), and service offerings (advocacy, networking events, education, and member benefits).

Emerging players

• Discover New England: Regional tourism marketing organization for the New England states. Comparable to MTC's role as a regional convener for tourism promotion, with similar member composition (DMOs, attractions, lodging) and parallel event/advocacy programming.
• Travel South USA: Regional tourism promotion organization for the southern U.S. Comparable as a coalition-style organization promoting tourism across multiple states, with overlapping member types (state tourism offices, attractions, lodging) and shared mission of growing regional tourism economies.

Regional players

• Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau: Regional DMO comparable to Maryland's county-level DMOs (Visit Annapolis, Visit Frederick, Visit Montgomery) that comprise MTC's membership base. While not a direct trade association, it represents the type of destination marketing organization that MTC advocates for and serves.
• Visit Florida: Florida's official statewide tourism marketing corporation. While primarily a DMO rather than a trade association, it shares MTC's statewide mandate of promoting and growing state tourism and works with similar member/partner ecosystems (hotels, attractions, restaurants).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MDTourism
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@marylandtourismcoalition6794
• Facebookfacebook.com/MDTourismCoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-tourism-coalition-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/mdtourism

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maryland Tourism Coalition