AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION NAMES CAPE COD MARITIME DAYS ONE OF NORTH AMERICA’S 100 BEST EVENTS FOR 2008

Cape Cod, MA: The American Bus Association (ABA) announced in September 2007 that the annual Cape Cod Maritime Days celebration has been designated as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2008 by an elite tourism industry selection committee.

Cape Cod Maritime Days, which is sponsored  by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Arts Foundation of Cape Cod and the Cape Cod Commission, was nominated for the honor by the Cape Cod Chamber.

Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that Maritime Days offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, said ABA.

 “The attractiveness of Cape Cod Maritime Days as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Cape Cod," said Peter J. Pantuso, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that Maritime Days has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Cape Cod an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”

ABA’s 2008 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected Cape Cod Maritime Days from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and convention and visitors bureaus. Judges considered the event’s broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other relevant criteria.

The Top 100 Events list is available online at www.buses.org.

2008 MARITIME DAYS EXTENDED THROUGH MAY: Paying Homage to the Legacy of the Sea on Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Cape Cod, MA: The 15th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Days will be celebrated throughout the entire month of May across the Cape, and include a wide and diverse array of nautical activities.

“We are proud to be a part of this special celebration that pays homage to our region's rich maritime traditions,” said Wendy Northcross, CEO, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

Cape Cod Maritime Days is sponsored by: Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Cape Cod Media Group, Cape Cod Marine Trades Association, Cape Cod Commission and Arts Foundation of Cape Cod.

Nearly 75 events are expected to be held during the 2008 Cape Cod Maritime Days, from lighthouse & walking tours, nautical art exhibits and lectures on maritime lore to boat-building exhibits, village festivals and kayaking excursions. Highlights of the month-long celebration will include the 7th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Festival on May 18th.

With 559.6 miles of coastline, the sea has been the defining essence of Cape Cod since the Pilgrims dropped the Mayflower's anchor in Provincetown Harbor in 1620. Not only is the Cape home to two town fishing fleets, but also scores of sailboats, schooners, yachts and commercial fishing vessels. Hundreds of sunken ships lost in gales and nor'easters lie like ghosts along shoals in Cape 's surrounding waters. Whaling and sea captains have hailed from the Cape, and their monument homes grace the Old King's Highway and other Cape byways. Today, whale watching excursions depart from Barnstable and Provincetown harbors for Stellwagen Bank, one of the world's finest whale feeding grounds.

To arrange your Cape Cod visit during Maritime Days, call the Cape Cod Chamber at 001-508-362-3225, ext. 531 or visit www.CapeCodChamber.org.