COURT HOUSE – In 2020, county tourism officials found themselves thankful that direct tourist expenditures were down 21%, noting it could’ve been worse. An uptick beginning in July 2020 helped the county recover from devastating losses earlier in the season, followed by record spending in September 2020 and October 2020.
2020 was a year that wiped out several years of growth in tourist revenue. Yet, because of its strong finish, the county had the smallest decline statewide.
In May 2021, Diane Wieland, the county’s tourism director, said, “We are expecting a great 2021.”
Wieland told the annual Jersey Shorecast that reservations and rentals are “skyrocketing” to record numbers, with the county appearing to be picking up where it left off at the end of 2020.
Statistics and anecdotal evidence support Wieland’s projection. Tourism officials often use the revenue from the state occupancy tax as an indicator of tourism volume. Those numbers are ahead of the 2019 record year, which saw nearly $7 billion in tourism expenditures.
Comparing April 2019 occupancy tax revenue to that of April 2021 shows a 24% increase this year. Comparing March 2019 to March 2021 shows similar results, with a 20% increase this year. Data is not yet available for May and June, but there is little reason to suspect the trend will not continue.
One caution in interpreting the numbers is that the data is impacted by an extension of the occupancy tax to transient rental through online apps, like Airbnb. Changes in how that tax has been applied could impact year-to-year comparisons between 2019 and 2021. Even with that caution, the numbers remain encouraging.
There is also plenty of indirect evidence of visitors packing the county this year. Municipalities have reported increased solid waste transported to the landfill, water usage above previous years, an increase in fire, emergency medical services (EMS) and police calls, and anecdotal reports of crowded beaches.
At a recent Wildwood Crest commissioners meeting, Mayor Don Cabrera said, “The beaches are more crowded this year than I ever remember them being in all the years I have lived in the Crest.”
Some local statistics also tell the tale. In Stone Harbor, water usage for 2021’s first quarter was up 20% from the previous year. The borough also saw a 7% increase in tons of solid waste collected in May.
At Stone Harbor Borough Council’s June 15 meeting, Fire Chief Roger Sanford said fire and EMS calls were both up in May compared to the previous year.
In 2020, many second homeowners waited out the pandemic in the county. Beating those numbers this year is evidence of the number of people at the shore in rentals and vacation homes.
With the crowds, new issues seem to be arising. Recreational marijuana legalization has altered how police may interact with juveniles engaged in rowdy behavior, or even underage drinking and marijuana use. Avalon felt the need to ban evening gatherings on its beaches and boardwalk.
Many businesses and municipalities have had to deal with significantly fewer summer employees to help them service tourists. In Stone Harbor, residential trash pickup is reduced to one day a week, rather than the usual two-day summer schedule.
Help wanted signs are everywhere. News reports of near pre-pandemic crowds share billing with reports of some businesses and piers curtailing hours due to staff shortages.
According to Destination Analysis, a travel and tourism market research firm, the public is feeling optimistic about summer travel plans and is expressing a willingness to spend money on leisure travel.
One new cloud on that horizon comes from a July 11 survey report (https://bit.ly/3i8UJ7w), in which the firm stated that concerns over the spreading delta variant are starting to give travelers pause.
All caveats aside, this summer at the shore appears to be going strong. Tourist officials hope to make a significant inroad in gaining the revenue levels lost last year.
The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce held a virtual presentation May 20 to look back at what the pandemic did to tourism in 2020, as well as forward to how state and county officials are planning to respond in 2021 (https://bit.ly/3xINzxb).
Projections from the presentations by state and local tourism leaders were that it might be 2023 before New Jersey tourism spending returns to 2019’s record levels. All are hoping to make headway on that goal in 2021.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
