Expert: Md. tourism looks solid for 2008

SOLOMONS ISLAND (AP) - Despite rising gas prices and an uncertain housing market, Maryland's tourism industry should have a respectable year in 2008, according to Anirban Basu, president and CEO of the Sage Policy Group Inc. in Baltimore.

"It's not going to be a boom, but it definitely won't be a bust," he said at the 27th annual Maryland Governor's Tourism Industry Conference.

Sponsored by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the conference was held earlier this month at this bayside town in Calvert County. It was attended by about 350 tourism professionals from around the state.

While some...