Mills Moves Up First Day Maine Hotels Can Host Tourists

The Mills administration announced Friday it has moved up the first day that lodging establishments in Maine can begin serving out-of-state visitors who meet either the 14-day quarantine requirement or the state’s new testing alternative.

Lodging establishments may now begin serving these individuals on Friday, June 26 rather than Wednesday, July 1. Accelerating the start date will help lodging establishments safely serve visitors during a key weekend of Maine’s tourism season leading up to the July 4th holiday, state economic officials said.

Residents from New Hampshire and Vermont are exempted from the quarantine and testing, and can begin staying at a Maine lodging establishment as of today.

It gives the industry two additional weekends to host out-of-state tourists.

Gov. Janet Mills and hospitality industry groups have been at odds over both the 14-day quarantine and the alternate testing.

On Friday, hospitality officials proposed an $800-million relief package to help the tourism industry.