The Discover New England Forum in Newport Rhode Island brought together suppliers from the six New England states, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island and 71 buyers from 11 countries.
The gathering that attracted a total of 287 attendees. This year’s marketplace saw 74 supplier appointment tables welcomed 88 businesses, representing diverse segments including 26 Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs), 20 attractions, 32 lodging providers, and 3 transportation services from six states. The event saw a series of 13-minute appointments, amounting to an impressive 4,594 meetings throughout the day. Buyers averaged 37 appointments each, while suppliers participated in an average of 31 appointments.
Key takeaways from the summit included:
- America is open for business. Martha Sheridan, CEO of Meet Boston reassured delegates at an opening event that, despite political events, America is as welcome as ever.
- The world cup is coming: Boston stages a world cup quarter-final, and fan zones will be installed around the city for those who do not have tickets.
- Connecticut is promoting Hallmark movie tours, as a disproportionate amount of these films were made there, including a Christmas movie trail. Foxwoods is opening the Great Wolf Lodge, which is this palatial indoor water park.
- Massachusetts commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American revolution and the Battles of Lexington and Concord with $1.5m in state grants to promote Revolutionary War history including the foundation of the American navy when Wexford’s John Barry took command of the Black Prince and renamed it the Alfred. Events include parades, reenactments, and celebrations in Concord and other historic sites.
- Lake Estate on Lake Winnipesaki is opening this year, with an expansive lakefront lawn, an outdoor infinity pool and hot tubs, an outdoor year-round heated mineral spa, two groomed private beaches, and a private lakeside preserve at the water’s edge.
- New activities in Massachussets for 2025 include snowshoeing at Jiminy Peak (Hancock), dining at historic Old Inn on the Green (New Marlborough), hiking Bash Bish Falls, and visiting Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard’s Black Dog Tav
- New for Newport, 5,000 new hotel rooms are planned across Newport County over the next few years.
- In Madison, the River Valley Transit XtraMile service, launched in June 2024, is now a staple for getting around Madison and nearby Guilford. This microtransit option, powered by Via Transportation, offers on-demand rides—think Uber meets public transit—making it easier to hop from downtown to the beaches
- Maine has unveiled the Katahdin Woods and Waters national monument, the designaiotn before a National Park.
- Politics cannot be avoided with reports of funding cuts from Washington impacting Mystic Seaport Museum and Mystic Aquarium, alongside the Connecticut Science Centre.
- Border control blues. France and Germany are the worst affected inbound markets to the USA form widespread media coverage of border control guards going through personal electronic items. One French tour operator reported widespread cancellations Ireland’s bookings for USA travel in 2025 is ahead of last year with just three people cancelling booking because of Donald Trump. Irish figures are down in March largely due to the Dublin airport passenger cap and the fact Easter 2024 occurred in March.
The summit featured a media panel and opportunities for travel writers and influencers to engage with New England’s tourism offerings, moderated by Eoghan Corry, editor of Travel Extra. Tom Britton of Marble City Travel, Shane Cullen of ITTN, Tony Lane of Visit USA and Peter McMinn of Travel Solutions attended the summit from Ireland.
Attendees benefited from networking sessions, business meetings, and pre- and post-event familiarisation trips to explore New England destinations.
Participants experienced Newport’s iconic sights, including The Breakers and the Cliff Walk, enhancing their understanding of the region’s offerings.
The Newport Harbor Island Resort served as the main venue for the event, showcasing its modern amenities following renovations completed in spring 2024.
DNE 2026 will take place in Burlington, Vermont.
Links: Discover New England tourism forum – DNE media panel discussion –
Boston city – Afternoon tea in Boston library – Boston Museum of Fine Art – China Pearl, in Boston’s Chinatown – Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – View Boston panoramic tower
Hartford, Connecticut – Madison, Connecticut – Mashantucket Pequot Museum – Mystic Seaport Museum – Mystic, Connecticut – New Bedford, Massachusetts – New Haven Connecticut – Newport, Rhode Island – South Eastern Massachusetts – Westerly, Rhode Island
