OTD’s “Home for the Holidays” encourages family and friends visiting over the holiday season to skip the painful stay on the pullout sofa in favor of a hotel stay. The campaign, created by OTD in conjunction with Marriner Marketing Communications, takes a humorous look at some of the struggles of visiting family. To view all the campaign images, or to share on social media, follow this link. To view the collection of hotel packages available, visit our "Home for the Holidays" pages at VisitMaryland.org here.

Chef David Thomas, owner and executive chef at Baltimore’s Ida B’s Table, took home the $10,000 first prize on Food Network’s Thanksgiving-themed episode of “Chopped.” "I felt good about what I was presenting based on the ingredients that I had,” said Thomas. “But you know, I was cooking for Martha Stewart. It could have been anybody's game." Ida B’s, in downtown Baltimore, opened in 2017 and features a menu of modern takes on traditional soul food. Thomas’ winning menu included macaroni and cheese, turkey, fried turkey livers, and a dessert.

Instagram is launching a wave of API changes intended to protect user privacy, and these changes will have a big impact on how DMOs use the platform. Changes will be introduced over a two-year period beginning December 11, with major takeaways being a restriction on the number of #hashtags that may be queried; requirements for an Instagram business account linked to a Facebook page; username and location metadata no longer provided; and the end of location-based searches. For DMOs using a third-party social media service, contact your provider on the best strategy to proceed, and for DMOs handling their own accounts, make sure to create an Instagram business profile. For a full rundown of planned changes, follow this link.

OTD’s PR team hosted a group of Canadian journalists and media professionals for a September FAM tour of Maryland, and the Canadian press is still raving about their trip to the Old Line State. In November, the Toronto Sun published “Maryland is Hip and Historic” by Kevin Hann, a reporter and editor who was on the September tour. Highlights from Hann’s story include glowing reviews of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the American Visionary Arts Museum, and other Baltimore landmarks; a journey along Maryland’s Historic National Road scenic byway; stops at Antietam National Battlefield, Hagerstown and Frederick; and glowing praise of Maryland’s impressive food scene. Since running in the Toronto Sun, a paper with a circulation of more than 310,000 readers and a significant online presence, the story has been picked up by Canoe.com and the Vancouver Sun with a print circulation of more than 130,000 and an impressive online footprint.

“Focusing on the Canadian market is a natural extension of both our international marketing efforts, and our domestic push into the New York and Pittsburgh markets,” says Leslie Troy, Communications Manager, OTD, “And we’ve gotten an incredible response from the Canadian press, not just in participation in our FAM tour, but in the universally glowing impressions they’ve had on their visit to Maryland. We expect more growth from the seeds already planted, and look forward to continued growth in our Canadian media footprint.”

Pictured: OTD staff and Canadian journalists attend an Orioles game in Baltimore during September FAM tour.

A Gettysburg Civil War Trails regional meeting was held with Civil War Trails Executive Director Drew Gruber and representatives from local, county and state tourism agencies, Civil War Heritage Areas and historical societies. The group discussed adding sites in Pennsylvania to the Gettysburg Campaign Civil War Trail. Tourism stakeholders from Pennsylvania are in the process of raising funds to add new Civil War Trail waysides to tell stories about the Confederate invasion and retreat and the Federal Army and Cavalry that pursued the Confederates before and after the Battle of Gettysburg. Participants discussed topics including funding and planning considerations for adding new sites, map guide printing and fulfillment, sign maintenance, and marketing.

How can OTD help spread the word about your attraction or event? "Maryland Mondays" is the perfect way to help us help you. Each Monday, OTD launches a new “Maryland Mondays” ticket give-away program across all of our social media channels, consumer newsletter, and weekly “Maryland Minute” radio spots. Combined, these channels reach thousands of potential customers each week. To find out how to get involved by providing tickets to your attraction for an upcoming "Maryland Mondays," email OTD’s Leslie Troy.

For the latest on events and everything going all around Maryland, view the latest edition of Visit Maryland Now! here.

Each week, the Maryland Minute provides highlights and insights on this weekend’s events around the state. Maryland Minute is featured on iHeart radio stations in Maryland and Washington, D.C. and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.