TRENTON, NJ: New Jersey’s tourism industry saw booming business over the Fourth of July holiday in what has thus far been a banner summer season for the Garden State.
Helped by beautiful weather starting from Memorial Day Weekend through this past week, The New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism is reporting high consumer interest with businesses and communities enjoying unprecedented success.
“We continue to receive reports from throughout our tourism industry of a great summer season,” said Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “While we were projecting strong business based on visitor interest and the momentum we’d been seeing heading into this year, the feedback we’ve been getting from industry partners is tremendous. It’s a testament to the fantastic product we offer here in New Jersey, which has something for every traveler.”
Some examples of July 4th business feedback from the New Jersey tourism industry include:
Sussex County
- Mountain Creek has shared that it had the strongest 4th of July to date. Both Mountain Creek and Crystal Springs were fully occupied over the weekend. Golf and Mountain Biking have both seen significant increases as activities this season.
- State Park attendance across Sussex County has remained steady with Kittatinny Valley State Park in particular seeing increased attendance over the holiday due to scheduled hikes and activities
- Sterling Hill Mining Museum reported an outstanding holiday weekend and has seen year-over-year attendance growth.
- Campground reservations are reported to be up with many campgrounds citing increased occupancy for the holiday weekend.
- Waterparks (Mountain Creek & Tomahawk Lake) did very well this holiday weekend.
Ocean County (primarily Long Beach Island area)
- Long Beach Island was reported to be at over 90% occupancy for the holiday with heavy visitor demand through Saturday on all attractions and amenities. LBI’s first ferry weekend saw 144 passengers, even with rain delays.
- The new Hotel LBI sold out for the weekend while its sister property, The Mainland Holiday Inn/Manahawkin-LBI was also sold out for the holiday.
- Charter boat companies in Ocean County saw high demand for fishing and maritime tours with some companies reporting all available charter boats booked.
Cape May Area
- Reporting one of the best July 4th weekends in recent history. Cape May reported 100% occupancy. The other towns are reporting a banner holiday with both weekends record breaking. Rentals were strong - high occupancy for the week with many return visitors. Rental companies are also reporting many guests staying for two weeks in July.
- The weather drew large crowds to the beaches and boardwalk businesses did extremely well. Wineries and breweries are reporting a great week with an uptick in business over last July 4th.
Seaside Heights
- Reported the July 4th holiday exceeded expectation with beach revenues believed to have stablished a single-day record. Summer business overall has been stronger than 2018.
Positive Projections Continue
- The positive state numbers come on the heels of Governor Phil Murphy and Secretary of State Way recently announcing that, in 2018, visitation to New Jersey rose to nearly 111 million people, an increase of 7.4 percent from 2017. State officials also announced a goal to draw 150 million visitors by 2023.
“This is a fantastic time to be a part of the New Jersey tourism industry,” said Jeffrey Vasser, Executive Director, New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. “what’s especially gratifying is that it’s not just the Jersey Shore seeing success but other areas of the state as well. With new hotels, investment in product improvements by our industry partners, and aggressive marketing efforts, we feel that our industry is in a great position to continue to grow and thrive.”
About New Jersey
New Jersey offers a wide variety of experiences to visitors all year long. Visitors can enjoy outdoor adventures, renowned culinary offerings, educational opportunities, and a strong arts and cultural scene. With numerous state and national parks, beaches, skiing, tax free shopping, historic sites, museums and more New Jersey blends together its rich history and exciting present. Home to the nation’s first beach resorts and the birthplace of major inventions, New Jersey offers a picturesque escape and dynamic opportunities for visitors from near and far. For more information, visit www.visitnj.org.
