New Jersey tourism spending grew by 3.4 percent in 2015, now representing a $43.4 billion industry, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno said Thursday at the New Jersey Conference on Tourism at Resorts Casino Hotel.
The increase was credited to good weather, and expectations are high for another strong year in one of South Jersey’s major industries.
The state tourism spending increase from 2014 to 2015 represents a slight drop in the rate of growth from the prior year, when spending increased nearly 4 percent.
Tourism represents a diverse market in South Jersey, including seashore towns lining Cape May, Atlantic and Ocean counties.
Guadagno noted the role tourism plays away from the beaches. “More than 52 percent of the numbers come from outside of the Jersey Shore. And you saw an increase in Hudson County and Cumberland County, which I really believe is the motorcycle industry coming and staying down there,” she said. “Also, they’ve renovated a lot since Hurricane Sandy. I took a tour of that last week, and I can see now why people are beginning to go back to the bay shore.”