NJ Secretary of State Wells Talks Tourism to County Chamber

SWAINTON — N.J. Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells, an advocate for tourism and culture, visited Cape May County Thursday, May 21, and addressed the monthly business meeting of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce.
Wells told the membership of the state’s latest venture, a Shore Store, located in New York City between 10th and 11th streets where New Jersey tourism information is distributed. The message there, she said, is to try to convince vacation-bound New Yorkers that New Jersey offers as many amenities as do far-away places, like California, Hawaii or the Caribbean.
She lauded business owners at the meeting who have packaged vacations to make Cape May County a more attractive destination for vacationers.
Wells highlighted some of the benefits tourism offers to the state and county:
• Employment of over 500,000 statewide related to tourism
• 11 percent of total state employment is somehow related to travel and tourism.
• Wages and salaries generted by tourism amounts to $17 billion.
• Taxes generated by the industry amount to $8 billion annually.
“Taxpayers would pay an additional $1,400 per household if it were not for what we (in tourism) bring in,” said Wells.
She said that competition is fierce for tourism dollars. Among contenders are Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
“We advertise as far away as Pittsburgh, Albany and Virginia,” said Wells.
“You all do a phenomnal job bringing the Canadian tourists here,” she added.
She had learned that Montreal vacationers are already booking, and those reservations are ahead by 10 percent of last year’s bookings, she said.
She pointed to the new Web site: visitnj.org, where all the state’s tourist attributes may be seen by potential visitors.
Wells will participate in Wildwood’s ceremonial opening of the ocean for the 2009 season Friday, May 22 at noon.