New Jersey’s tourism assets are a source of pride for the state and make this a great place for our residents to call home. But that also makes New Jersey a place that others want to come and visit, bringing dollars that grow our tax base and create jobs.
May 7–13 celebrates National Tourism Week making this the perfect time to highlight the importance of tourism to New Jersey.
Travelers support 517,559 jobs and generate $44.1 billion in revenue for New Jersey. These dollars fuel our local communities, businesses and vital public services, improving the quality of life for residents. Without these revenues from the tourism industry, New Jersey households would each pay an additional $1,525 in taxes in order to maintain the current level of state and local government services provided.
Tourism is an economic generator and delivers a strong return on marketing dollars invested to promote our wide sandy beaches, boardwalks, historic sites, festivals, art centers, sporting events, hiking trails, and all the other wonderful destinations located in New Jersey. When our elected officials at the state, county, and local levels of government invest in tourism marketing, they are investing in an industry that multiplies those dollars available education, healthcare, transportation infrastructure, and other vital services important to the residents of New Jersey. Additionally, the tourism industry provides funding for arts, history, and culture through funding provided by the Occupancy Tax.
When comparing New Jersey to neighboring states and competing destinations that aggressively promote tourism, New Jersey falls far behind New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virgina losing out on millions of tourism dollars spent in our region of the country.
New Jersey officials need to recognize that if we want to be competitive, increased tourism funding is needed. Let’s put out the welcome mat and invite more visitors to vacation in New Jersey and reinvest more of this money in New Jersey’s tourism industry.
The author is president of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce and president of the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
