Sizable Impact of Tourism: Nearly $5.3 Billion in 2010

NORTH WILDWOOD – Those who lob the slur “shoobies” at masses of tourists who pour into Cape May County might be awed by the impact those visitors make on the local economy. Try nearly $5.3 billion on for size, and that was last year.
Diane F. Wieland, Cape May County’s director of the Department of Tourism, and Freeholder M. Susan Sheppard, liaison to the department, attended the November meeting of the Cape May County League of Municipalities at North End Grill, Tue., Nov. 22.
She presented some eye-opening figures, based on 2010 totals that made many of the elected officials there take notice.
The economic impact that tourism had on the county was $5.275 billion. That
figure broke into:
* Accommodations, $2.867 billion
* Food, $1,066 billion
* Entertainment, $454 million
* Retail, $841 million
* Transportation, $42 million
Wieland noted that, although spending was flat, statewide, visits to the Jersey Cape were up. Perhaps it was because the county is close to countless millions less than a thankful of gas away, or maybe because visitors overall told survey takers they felt safe in the county.
Regardless, spending was up some 5.4 percent in the county, Wieland said.
How about those beach houses? They helped boost the rental income here, up to a record $1.7 billion in 2010.
Figures also showed that visitors spending on amusements and entertainment here was the highest in the state.
Nearly a quarter of statewide accommodations are located within Cape May County, Wieland said. That means the county generated about $16.85 million in occupancy taxes for the state’s coffers, according to data provided by
Vantage Strategy for the state Division of Travel and Tourism.
While those figures are impressive, Wieland noted, Cape May County does not have a monopoly on vacationers’ dollars. Quite to the contrary, the competition for those dollars is getting keener all the time.
There are 45,000 municipalities, and counties that vie for the tourist’s attention and bucks. Of those, Wieland said, 1,500 cities around the nation are turning to tourism to bolster their main industries.
Spending on tourism and travel jumped about 2.6 percent in the second quarter of this year, she said.
It seemed no surprise that tourism grew faster than real gross domestic product, which increased 1 percent in the year’s second quarter.
Wieland said that growth in real spending on tourism was chiefly increasedin recreation, entertainment and transportation.
Cheer up, baby boomers, your graying hair and savings or credit spending means that your generation makes up an incredible 80 percent of travel spending in the nation.
Lest county businesses grow lazy, thinking they have a lock on the summer vacation market, think again.
Wieland noted that tourism destinations can “no longer survive on seasonal business and are expanding and or developing secondary lures to bring customers back.” That¹s where things like eco-tourism, such as bird watching, or the growth of area wineries are growing ever more important to the local economy.
She urged entrepreneurs, “Specialize!” That is what businesses have to learn
to do in order to make them different from other places or providers.
“You can’t be all things to all people, find your niche and promote,”Wieland said.
Of those who wonder about the vision of keeping the county “green” with open space and farms, it’s one of the things many visitors list high on their reasons to vacation here. They like hiking, lakes, parks, going to festivals, like the Jazz Festival, Barbecue competition and Wings and Water Festival. Countywide, there are some 54,511 acres of land presently
designated for that “eco-tourism.”
Is it any surprise that second homeowners are helping to stretch the tourism season beyond its old-time Memorial Day to Labor Day borders? According to Wieland, those property owners are a key factor that is helping to expand the season.
“Quality of life is what brings visitors to Cape May County,” Wieland said.
According to another survey of visitors, Wieland said the following were reasons given for taking a vacation in the county:
* Beach, 79 percent
* County is family oriented, 44 percent
* Family tradition (“Been coming here since we were kids.”), 29 percent.
* Close to home, 28 percent
* Safe, 25 percent
* Friendly, 23 percent
* Clean, 21 percent
* Value, 9 percent
What about those second home owners? They are ones who pay taxes locally, yet can’t vote in local elections. Their property equals 47 percent of all county dwellings.
Some 50 percent of all of the state’s second homes are located in this county.
Just over half of those owners use the property for vacations only. Forty four percent use their properties as both vacation homes and as income properties.
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Those who believe they can “count on their fingers” the number of times some of those second home owning folks spend time they are correct. According to Wieland’s figures, the average second home owner visits 10 times annually.
In winter, 41 percent travel here to visit their property. About 70 percent spend part of the spring or fall here. Of them, 56 percent reside in the Keystone State, and 63 percent of them are age 55 or older, commonly referred to as baby boomers.
An estimated 66 percent of those who own second homes here have annual household incomes that exceed $100,000, Wieland noted.
There is something that needs a bit of work throughout the county: good signage.
Wieland termed that “gateways and wayfinding.”
In so doing, Wieland announced a workshop and “brainstorming” session to be held Wed., Dec. 7 in Avalon Borough Hall, 3100 Dune Drive at 11 a.m.
That event will guide the county and its 16 municipalities in the creation of a coordinated system of “wayfinding signage” as well as “branding” through urban design features.
Wieland cited the whimsical “Wildwood” sign on the Boardwalk that many tourists use as a backdrop for photographs and videos.
“Wayfinding signs” give directions and help visitors get around public places. They also may help those with special needs to find accessible
places.
Signs should include government and public entities as well as social organization and amenities, Wieland said.