St. Mary’s County announces new hours for the St. Mary’s County Welcome Center in Charlotte Hall. Beginning July 1 though September 30, open hours at the Welcome Center will be Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, from 10 AM to 3 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM. Beginning October 1, open hours will be Fridays and Sundays from 10 AM to 3 PM, and Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM until April 30. In 2011, the longer weekend hours will begin on March 25. Maryland Day is the official ‘opening’ of the tourist season in St. Mary’s County.
Printed visitor information including the St. Mary’s County Destination Guide and the calendar of events as well as brochures on local sites, attractions and tourism and hospitality-related businesses, will be available in the foyer of the nearby Charlotte Hall Library year round to serve visitors when the Welcome Center is not open. The St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce will continue to manage welcome center operations for the county and will take phone inquiries for information on the toll-free visitor information number 1-800-327-9023 from its office in California, Maryland on weekdays when the welcome center is closed.
The Welcome Center will remain open during peak hours. Cost savings will be used to develop an electronic marketing program. “Visitors now make travel plans electronically and these new marketing strategies will more effectively promote local sites, attractions and tourism and hospitality businesses. This is a win/win situation for our tourism industry and serves as a testament to the strong ongoing partnership between the St. Mary’s County government and the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce,” notes Francis Jack Russell, President, Board of County Commissioners. “Both entities are committed to working together to attract more visitors to the county and to serve them well when they arrive. In these tough economic times, I believe we have hit upon a balanced and realistic approach to growing our tourism industry without increasing county spending.”