TRENTON – Key economic report numbers indicate that the New Jersey tourism industry enjoyed a strong bounce-back summer at the Jersey Shore and beyond in 2021, as towns and businesses continued a steady pandemic recovery.
A New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism(NJTT) study, compiled by Tourism Economics, revealed record increases in key metrics, including a nearly 71% rise in bed tax revenues, accompanied by growth from beach tag sales, hotel rooms sold and total room revenue.
“New Jersey’s beaches, lakes, and towns all offer so much for travelers to enjoy,” stated Gov. Phil Murphy. “This summer proved once again that we are ‘Jersey Strong’ and ‘Jersey Proud’ and we look forward to welcoming even more visitors in 2022 and expect another great year.”
The report focused specifically on the shore counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean from June 1 to August 31, according to a release from the state.
Key findings from the 2021 Summer Tourism Performance Report include:
Shore counties experienced significant growth in state bed tax revenue during summer 2021, hitting record levels. Bed taxes collected by the state for the shore counties are projected to reach $19.2 million in 2021 – an increase of 71% and 22% relative to 2020 and 2019, respectively. This is especially significant as 2019 pre-pandemic was already a record-setting year.
For the entire state, the New Jersey hotel industry rebounded in the summer of 2021 (June-August). Rooms sold in 2021 increased by 44.6% versus 2020, while the average daily room rate grew 20.2%. These trends contributed to a 74.8% rise in revenue statewide.
Summer beach tag revenues exceeded pre-pandemic levels in shore counties in 2021, indicating much better performance at the shore. In 2021, for example, Cape May reported a 35% increase in beach tag revenue versus 2019.
