OCEAN COUNTY – Last year, there was a 4 percent increase in tourism in Ocean County. Local businesses are hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic won’t hurt this year’s numbers.
By way of comparison, the 2019 tourism season saw a 4.1 percent increase, bringing in $4.98 billion, according to county figures. This amounted to an estimated 9 million visits.
“Tourism continues to be a key economic engine here in Ocean County,” said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, who serves as liaison to tourism. “We appreciate all those that visit us. The revenue from tourism supports hundreds of small businesses while providing employment opportunities for thousands of people from high school students to our seniors.”
Ocean County ranks third among the 21 counties in New Jersey for tourism revenue, bringing in 11 percent of the state’s total tourism dollars, he said.
“We are doing all we can to make the upcoming summer season a good experience for everyone,” Vicari said. “We want to make sure it is a family friendly experience and most importantly a safe experience for everyone.”
Some beaches and boardwalks are opening up, but most not for swimming or playing games of chance as of press time. Social distancing has required that these locations be open only to passive recreation, like walking or jogging.
“It will be different,” Vicari said of this year. “But that doesn’t mean it will not be a positive experience. We still have the most beautiful beaches, Barnegat Bay, recreational boating opportunities and so much more to offer.”
Lori A. Pepenella, Chief Executive Officer, of the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce agreed that 2019 had great momentum, and now it’s just a matter of trying to keep that momentum going.
“We had an extremely strong 2019 since we had new Hotel LBI adding more hotel rooms, additional attractions like Fantasy Island opening new rides and places like the LBI Escape Room opening,” she said. “The weather was fantastic and a successful summer lead to a strong fall with special events and festivals.”
Just because the business climate has changed, it doesn’t mean that the tourism industry has stopped. It just has to adapt.
The Wedding Road Show and Party Planning tour, usually an in-person event, became a virtual event “attracting as many qualified leads to our program as we did in live events. We had over two dozen businesses participate,” she said.
Promotions have continued throughout the year, such as the Shop Small Saturday campaign, she said.
Part of it is getting the information out to tourists, she said. They need to know how to prepare for social distancing policies, how travel will be impacted, and how best to plan their trip. Digital billboards at travel plazas, new website features and more will serve those needs.
