Maryland Office of Tourism, Visit Baltimore, Visit Frederick, and Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County are now collaborating as the Maryland International Marketing Partnership after a previous member association, Capital Region USA (CRUSA), of which Maryland was a member alongside Washinton DC and Virgina, dissolved last year.

Rich Gilbert, Travel Trade Sales Manager at Maryland Office of Tourism, says: “We’re all very familiar with each other, we know how to sell and who sells what – we work together, so it makes it an easy partnership.”

Rasheeda Martin, Senior Director of External Relations at Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel, adds: “We felt it was important to keep an international presence. Maryland now has the opportunity to showcase itself on its own platform and make a name for itself.

“The Mid-Atlantic region is so important, and we want to take an opportunity to showcase everything beautiful about Maryland – that is, our state in its entirety.”

Annapolis is known as the ‘Sailing Capital of the USA’ and is home to the U.S. Naval Academy. Yacht and boat tours offer ways to get out on the harbour. The city’s maritime heritage is outlined at Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park.

Maryland’s seafood is a major draw for culinary travellers, crab cakes, a delicacy made with blue crabs from Chesapeake Bay, are served in restaurants across the city and state.

Gilbert recommends that visitors hire a car to explore the state.

“The beauty of Maryland is that we have 18 scenic byways. They’re marked, so that you don’t have to stay on the interstate – you can get off and travel the back roads following signage… It’s an opportunity to really get into the smaller settlements and feel small towns.”

The Old-Line State has a reputation as being ‘America in miniature’, says Becky Bickerton, Assistant Director at Visit Frederick.

“Maryland has mountains, beaches and everything is very close together. You can drive, 30 to 45 minutes and be in another town or an entirely different landscape. There’s a lot of bang for your buck, because you can see a lot of things over a one-week or two-week period.”

With a charming, walkable downtown that has numerous 19th-century buildings, Frederick is the state’s second-largest city.

Injured troops from both the Union and Confederate Armies were treated in the city during the conflict of 1861 to 1865, a story that can be explored in the city’s National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

Civil War enthusiasts can also explore Battlefield, three miles from Frederick, while both the Antietam and Gettysburg battlefields are within easy driving distance.

Served with direct British Airways flights from London Heathrow, Aer Lingus services from Dublin and Icelandair flights via Keflavik, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is a major gateway into Maryland.

In 2024, 28.5 million people came through Baltimore, although 80% of those travellers also spent money in other places in the state, “which means we are a gateway to people coming into Maryland,” says Kireem Swinton, President and CEO at Visit Baltimore, who points out that there are many things to do within a two-hour drive or train ride north or south of the city.

Baltimore’s key attractions include Fort McHenry, whose defence during a British naval attack in 1814 inspired the lyrics now used as the U.S. national anthem.

The flag that the anthem is about was stitched at the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, where its story is told.

Festivals, including the Wine Village in Baltimore and the Baltimore by Baltimore music festival, attract summer visitors.

From early April to late September, baseball games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards are often popular among international visitors. The retro-style ballpark is regarded as a classic venue for watching the sport, whose greatest-ever player was born in the city – at what is now the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum.

Baltimore is also emphasising that the city is more “affordable” than many other better-known U.S. destinations.

 “As an international traveller, your money goes further for a luxury experience. When you look at the hotel room rates and compare them to many other large cities, you can visit here for six days for the same cost as four elsewhere. In addition, we have so many things that you can do that are affordable,” adds Swinton.

America is celebrating 250 years since its founding and travellers looking to experience the country’s heritage may be interested in touring the oldest U.S. state capitol in continuous legislative use – the Maryland State House.

Many visitors are surprised to learn that the state capital of Maryland was the newly independent country’s first peacetime capital.

Next year marks the 200th anniversary of railways in the U.S., with the country’s first 1.5 miles of track laid in Maryland. The B&O Railroad Museum explains why the state is considered the birthplace of U.S. railways, with beautifully displayed rolling stock in its roundhouse a draw for railway fans.

To package this array of attractions in a way that resonates with the UK trade, Maryland International Marketing Partnership has appointed MMGY. Their plans include fam trips, training and sales calls.

For further information, visit Maryland Office of Tourism, Visit Baltimore, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County and Visit Frederick.