Basking under sunny skies and an improving economy, the tourism industry in Monmouth and Ocean counties generated nearly $7 billion last year, up 5.1 percent from 2014, according to an economic report released Thursday.
It was a sign that the two Jersey Shore counties largely recovered from the damage left by super storm Sandy in 2012.
New Jersey’s overall tourism industry’s sales reached $41.2 billion, up 3.3 percent, the report found, but its authors noted that they thought the industry would perform better, given low gasoline prices.
But New Jersey’s tourism industry continues to feel the sting from Atlantic City, which is reeling in the wake of casino competition in neighboring states. Atlantic County generated $6.7 billion, down 5.2 percent from 2014, according to the report.