Visit Portland Marketing Meeting Recap

May 14, 2025

Thank you to those who were able to join us at our Sales & Marketing Meeting May 14th at The Porthole Restaurant and Pub.  Once again, a BIG thank you to Sarah Dionne and the Porthole team for hosting us- your breakfast spread was amazing, and networking on the deck was a treat!  Another BIG thank you to Paula Mahony for sharing a presentation with us from Words@Work.      

Please enjoy these meeting minutes, as well as a presentation deck from Words@Work. 

Words@Work | Paula Mahoney | paula@wordsatwork.us

How It Went

Meeting Agenda

9:00AM Light refreshments

9:30AM Welcome and Introductions:
Sarah Dionne, Event Director,
The Porthole Restaurant + Pub and Casablanca Cruises

9:40AM Presentation by Words@Work
Paula Mahony, President + Chief Marketing Officer

10:40 AM Group Sales Review
• Trending Data Reviews:

Round Table Discussion

Visit Portland Updates:

• Lynn Tillotson, President + CEO: Thank you to all the attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors who participated in this year’s Frontline Orientation. Lynn is excited to share the presentation decks and a recorded session from the Visit Portland Destination Summit. Please enjoy this presentation by Madden Media on Code Switching.

TOURISM/HOSPITALITY UPDATES

• Sarah Dionne | The Porthole Restaurant and Pub, Director of Events: The Porthole is excited to announce their event menu is now available for catering and onsite catering delivery. Their sister business, Casablanca Cruises, is offering a series of seasonal events including an upcoming Murder Mystery Cruise June 5th. Tickets can be purchased online.
• Paula Mahony | Words@Work, President and Chief Marketing Officer: Words@Work is your marketing solutions partner, offering brand strategy, tactical planning, marketing budgets, and the tools and metrics necessary to track your brand’s success. Please reach out to Paula at paula@wordsatwork.us to set up a coffee date to chat about your marketing needs!
• Scott Riccio | Northeast Charter + Tour Co., President: Celebrating over 20 years of business, Northeast Charter + Tour Co. offers a fleet of 22 motorcoaches, trolleys, school busses, sprinter vans, and more. They specialize in wedding groups, tourist groups, college contracts, sports transportation, and beyond! Scott is proud to provide exceedingly high customer service, clean vehicles, and safe drivers.
• Colleen O’Connell | The Inn at Diamond Cove, Senior Sales Manager: Colleen is happy to introduce herself as the new Senior Sales Manager for the Inn at Diamond Cove. While she still represents the Portland Collection, her focus will be on the Great Diamond Island property. She invites locals and visitors to enjoy Diamond’s Edge Restaurant, open 7 nights a week, and features weddings, lobster bakes, team building retreats, and small meetings at the Inn.
• Jaclyn Berry | Portland Harbor Hotel + Cambria Hotel, Area Sales Manager: Both The Portland Harbor Hotel and The Cambria Hotel are getting geared up and training their staff for another great busy Season.
• Angela Tirabassi + Rashad Zagon | Crestline Hotels, Area Sales Manager: Representing the AC Hotel Portland Downtown Waterfront, ALOFT Portland Downtown Waterfront, and The Residence Inn Portland Downtown, Crestline Hotels has a wide variety of rooms types, meeting space, and price points to fit any planner of visitor’s needs. Great for corporate groups, sports teams, and weddings.
• Abigail Worthing + Andrew Gendron | Waterstone Properties at Rock Row : Rock Row is happy to announce the opening of their brand new medical center, including the Dempsey Center and the LB Mini Mart. The LB Mini Mart in the center’s lobby is open to the public, serving grab’n’go sandwiches and coffee. They are also happy to announce the grand opening of Playa Bowls , Rock Row’s newest addition. Check out Rock Row’s Event Calendar for upcoming family friendly events, such as Chalk The Walk!
• Roslyn Soper | flyte new media, Digital Marketer : flyte new media offers a variety of digital design + development and digital marketing solutions. Check our their Flyte school for educational blog articles, webinars + seminars, marketing masterclasses, and more.
• Kim Strondak | The Portland Regency Hotel + Spa, Director of Sales: The Portland Regency Team is excited to launch their new website alongside a completed renovation including a room refresh. The accommodations boast new wall paper and furnishings, but remain charming with the original brass keys and locks. Kim invites locals and visitors to book treatments and relax and unwind in their Spa such as massage, facials, and red light treatment.
• Kristopher McClure | The Portland Donut Tour, Owner: The Portland Donut Tour offers a 90 minute experience of Portland’s rich history and world-class donut scene. Kris is also happy to announce a new Lobster Roll Tour, featuring the rock and roll style of HighRoller and the classic style of Luke’s Lobster. Both tours are great for visitors and corporate groups!
• Nick Robinson | Ballast by Portland Schooner Co., Event Manager: Ballast is a highly customizable space that can accommodate groups up to 40-50 seated and guests up to 90-100 cocktail style. Portland Schooner Co. has started their Summer season with two boats in the water.
• Emma Downey | McKernan Inn + Events, Innkeeper: Emma is happy to share that SMCC congratulates 20 graduates from their Hospitality program. The 9 room inn is fully student run and getting ready for the upcoming busy season.
• Joshua Hurd | McKernan Inn + Events, Conference + Events Manager: The McKernan Inn and Events is always looking for community partnerships. Their versatile event space, the inn can accommodate meetings, weddings, and retreats of any size. Josh would like to invite anyone who hasn’t visited McKernan Inn and Events to reach out to reach out at jhurd@mainecc.edu for a tour!
• Will Wohler | Wohler & Co., Owner + Photographer: Wohler & Co. is an onsite photographer offering headshot stations for events, portrait sessions, and in-studio rebranding. He is excited to invite everyone to sign up for and attend his upcoming Headshot Happy Hour Series; networking events that will be held throughout the Summer.
• Ashley Virgilio | Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room, Events Manager: Yappy Hour is back on the upstairs deck at Boone’s, Sundays starting at 2pm this dog friendly happy hour is not to be missed! Boone’s upstairs event space offers a unique and delicious destination for groups of 80-100.
• Joseph Erdmannsdoerfer + Austin Gaudreau | Hearts Of Pine: Portland’s first professional soccer team, Hearts of Pine is now selling single game tickets you can purchase here. The Soccer Club is an excellent team building activity, group outing, or bachelor/bachelorette event, offering box seating, food, and beverage for private groups. A community oriented brand, Hearts of Pine is always looking for new partnerships.
• Crystal Gordon + Mary Green | One Stop Event Rentals: One Stop has a tent for every event! Servicing Greater Portland, the Casco Bay Islands, and beyond, One Stop Event Rentals is your linen, furniture, and tent solution. Crystal and Mary pride themselves on ingenuity, creativity, and quality when it comes to making your private event a success.
• Ariel Taschereau | The Nonantum Resort, Group Sales Manager: The Nonantum’s outdoor restaurant, Latitudes, opens for the season May 30th with a full menu, bar, and picturesque view. The Nonantum is excited to announce their upcoming events partnered with local businesses such as Spa Voyage at The Nonantum, a floating sauna docked at the resort, and a Wine Dinner Series with Duckhorn Vineyards.
• Deborah Roberts | New England Eco Adventures + Rugosa Lobster Tours, Director of Business Development: New England Eco Adventure hosts one rubber craft in Portland that can accomodate 14 passengers and another based in Kennebunkport that can accomodate 20 passengers for exciting whale watching and lighthouse viewing adventures! Deb also promotes Rugosa Lobster Tours, a hands-on lobsterman experience in Kennebunkport that can accommodate 20 passengers. NE Eco Adventures and Rugosa Lobster Tours is always looking to create community partnerships for new tours and excursions!
• Elaina Fogg | Fogg’s Water Taxi & Charters, Event Coordinator + Operations Manager: Fogg’s Water Taxis + Charters offer a wide variety of services from water transport to private and public lobster roll + lighthouse tours. Fogg’s invites you to check out their Happy Hour Cruises and Wednesday Night Sunset Cruises with live music!
  

What’s Coming-Up

group marketing

PROGRAM OF WORK

Find our updated 2025/2026 program of work including objectives, goals, and all our upcoming initiatives.

Upcoming Projects

Upcoming Sales + Marketing Meetings

THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 HOSTS

If you are interested in hosting a Sales + Marketing Meeting in August or November of 2025, please contact Abby Traver at abby@visitportland.com.

Have interest in hosting or presenting at an upcoming Marketing Meeting? Please reach out to Abby Traver at abby@visitportland.com.