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James E. McGreevey |
William D. Watley |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact:
Karen Wolfe - 609.292.2523
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| New Jersey Set
and Ready for the Trenton, N.J. (May 24, 2004)—A grueling winter with freezing temperatures that reached record lows have left many anxious for the gentler days of summer. As the page of the calendar turns, New Jersey's tourism industry is primed to provide visitors with a busy season filled with plenty of excitement and relaxation. According to The Travel Industry Association of America's Annual Travel Forecast, the long-awaited travel industry recovery is in full swing with leisure travel volume expected to grow by 3.4% nationally. Overall spending by domestic and international travelers is expected to grow 6 percent this year. "The state's tourism industry appears to be on track with the rest of the nation," said Nancy Byrne, executive director of the New Jersey Travel & Tourism. "Our preliminary figures for 2003 indicate that visitation to the Garden State grew by 12.4%, an increase from 59.0 million to 66.3 million. Overall, our discussions with industry professionals suggest that summer rentals and accommodations are flourishing, the campgrounds are in high demand and the beaches are in top shape." In addition, AAA predicts that despite higher gasoline prices, Memorial Day travel will increase 3.4% this year, citing a recovering economy and stronger job growth as contributing factors to increased travel activity. New Jersey still has some of the lowest gas prices in the Northeast and local AAA representatives say the good news is that interstate tourism should thrive because vacationers can still travel without spending a fortune on gasoline. Ocean County, for instance, is 75 miles from 15 million people, which makes traveling by car limited to a tank of gas, coming and going, local officials boast. They add, "When combined with free family entertainment almost every night of the summer, this will be a desirable place to come." Barring recurrent weekends of inclement weather, which the state experienced last year, local officials anticipate a stellar year. Officials also indicate that visitors are making travel plans earlier and are using the Internet. Tourism officials in Cape May observed an increase in the use of the Internet to make plans and request information and report that Internet inquiries were up 19%. The New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism recently unveiled its new online Travel Guide. The Web-based tool enables visitors to search the Garden State’s wealth of events, attractions, and accommodations all in one place. Visitors can download maps/directions to points of interest around the state, enabling the creation of customized travel itineraries through the Travel & Tourism Web site (www.visitnj.org). "A feature of the Web site is the MyTripStops section," says Byrne. "This new element compiles users’ travel information to view in one location. Visitors can create personalized travel itineraries, including custom start and end points. By adding two or more addresses, visitors can also obtain driving directions." Byrne added that visitors to New Jersey will also experience new, expanded and improved accommodations and attractions this year: In Hazlet, a new Holiday Inn on Route 35 will open in
June. The hotel will have 120-rooms as well as a full service restaurant;
New Jersey Commerce & Economic Growth Commission
Beaches & Environs: Beach town officials are prepared for an onslaught of visitors this season. Many areas have undergone beach replenishment projects, designed promotions to attract visitors and scheduled an assortment of entertainment options for visitors to enjoy. In addition to the beach, Ocean City is promoting alternative activities such as blossoming theatre venues, numerous special events and free family entertainment. Beaches in Seaside Heights, Ocean County, are free Wednesdays and Thursdays. Officials in Ocean Grove report that the beaches survived the harsh winter and very little sand was lost. Belmar Beaches are prepared for sun worshippers as the sand dunes are being leveled to make the area desirable for sunning. New flower gardens along the boardwalk provide added attractiveness to the area. A display of various flowerbeds and plants will be interspersed with the children's playground. Atlantic City is completing its beach replenishment project. The Absecon Island Shore Protection Project, which began in October 2003, is expected to be complete after Memorial Day and includes sand replacement for the beach fill and dune system in both Atlantic City and Ventnor. Sea Isle City is promoting families this vacation season with its "Sea Isle City - A Perfect Place to be for your Family" theme. Local officials initiated a "No Beach Tags Required on Wednesdays," promotion and has given hospitality an added twist with its 15-minute grace period on parking meters. Accommodations: Visitors will find a vast inventory of accommodations from rentals to hotels to bed and breakfast inns. Realtors are using one word to describe the shore rentals, "busy." While properties are still available, they are encouraging vacationers not to wait a minute longer. In Cape May, tourists are encouraged to make reservations as early as possible because rentals are moving faster than last year. Officials in Atlantic City are recommending vacationers arrive on a Sunday or Monday, if possible and depart Thursday or Friday due to heavy reservations for Fridays and Saturdays. The Bellevue Stratford Inn in Ocean Grove said if early reservations are any indication of expected travelers, they anticipate a "wonderful season," and believe that residents' apprehension of traveling abroad has made the Jersey Shore more attractive. Ocean County hotels/motels are optimistic for a busy season, particularly later in the summer. For instance, the weeks of July 15 through August 15, described as very popular, are fully booked in many locations. Tourism officials in the Wildwoods are enthusiastic about the upcoming season and anticipate that tourists want to limit their travel to closer to home. They emphasize that Wildwood is a "tank full of gas away from the tri-state area." Camping, Outdoors Activities: New Jersey campsites are continuing its popularity spurt. Representatives from the Campgrounds Association said Canadian campers are returning in "droves," that the Canadian dollar is stronger, and their requests for the New Jersey Campground and RV Park Guide has increased. Most campgrounds are filled for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July weekend. Reservations are steady at the Camp Taylor Campground in Columbia. Representatives indicate that campers are not booking as far in advance, citing last year's inclement weather. Representatives from the Tim Tam Resort noticed that many families are spending longer days on campsites and is offering a special promotion for June and September. Instead of paying $35 a night, campers are offered two weekends at $110 and the option of leaving the trailer onsite. Representatives said the special would economize gas and serves as an incentive for people to visit the park. Attractions: New Jersey's diverse attractions make the state a great place to play this summer. Thrill seekers can rest assured that New Jersey's theme parks and attractions are geared up for an exciting and action packed summer. For instance: Six Flags Great Adventure & Wild Safari is celebrating its 30th year. It is promoting a spectacular new action-adventure show, Batman vs. Catwoman: Catfight. The park's new, awe-inspiring fireworks production will be accompanied by stirring music and theatrical lighting that will provide an uplifting background to the special effects. Visitors can explore the world of the enchanting Atlantic bottlenose dolphin and sea lions at the educational Dolphin Discovery Exhibit. Casino Pier in Seaside has renovated Breakwater Beach (formerly Waterworks) with a brand new state-of-the-art waterpark with the largest interactive play area on North Atlantic Coast. There's also a new Toddler area, Family Play Area, new hot tub grottos and a zero-gravity racer; Look for new mascots at Morey's Piers'. Dude, the seagull and his sidekick, Curly the French Fry, are all about the Jersey Shore and its many amenities and attractions. Pirates of the Wildwoods, on Morey's Schellenger Avenue Pier, takes guests on a unique three-dimensional adventure where they will encounter a band of well-intentioned pirates who are attempting to thwart tourists' attempt to take over the Wildwoods. The Rock 'n Tug Boat gently rocks and spins as it travels on a U-shaped track, taking families on one unforgettable ride and at Create- A- Bear, kids of all ages can test their creativity. The DooWop Boardwalk Museum Shop showcases anything and everything from the 1950's. Liberty Science Center in Jersey City is open year-round, but is bustling in the summer with special exhibits. Based on the new exhibits, attractions and special weekends, representatives anticipate increased visitation during the summer. Meet & Greet SpongeBob SquarePants Saturday and Sunday, June 26 & 27. Magic: The Science of Illusion will debut May 29 and run through Sept. 6. The 8,000 square food exhibition features interactive tricks, unique artifacts, special programming and video explanations from the world's top magicians, all designed to help guests understand the psychology, art, mathematics and physics of magic illusions. Magic Weekends June 5-6, 19; July 10-11. On August 7-8, 21-22, The Forces of Nature exhibit allows visitors to venture to the very brink of erupting volcanoes and along massive earthquake fault lines. The New Jersey State Aquarium is gearing up for a sizzling summer. The season will begin with a Seal-a-bration, observing the first birthdays of harbor seal pups, Mira and Nika. Friday, July 2 is Tall Ships Weekend. Penguin Palooza begins July 13 in celebration of the South African penguins. On August 1, the Aquarium celebrates Kids Day featuring a number of educational activities, games and prizes. A Family Day Camp is scheduled for August 8 followed by Sharkmania on August 15 where visitors can enjoy dive shows, a shark feeding, crafts and games that will remind everyone how awesome these sea predators are. The season will culminate September 4 with a Labor Day Extravaganza. Transportation: From roads to rails, New Jersey has made improvements to its infrastructure to make traveling this season more bearable. The Turnpike Authority has made improvements to enhance travel for visitors. On June 30, the Authority will open a new interchange at Exit 1. The existing location has been moved approximately 1.4 miles north and the enhancement will eliminate congestion previously experienced during the peak travel periods. The interchange also has two express EZPass lanes, allowing traffic to move at high speeds in both directions. A pinch point during the summer weekends is between exits 8 and 9. Officials said traffic often slows down to 10-15 minutes but delays are not "enormous." The Authority also is promoting the recently introduced EZPass Express Lanes at 18W. The Express Lanes should shave off delays previously experienced by travelers into New Jersey, specifically during the summer. The Atlantic City Expressway has expanded the width of the roadway adding a third lane between Pleasantville and Atlantic City. Officials said the improvements would permit more volume to travel over the highway in a shorter period, thereby minimizing delays. In addition, Express EZPass lanes recently opened at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza, permitting travelers to pass through at 45 mph. The new lanes are expected to substantially improve traffic flow. Representatives said according to estimates, the express lanes will double the amount of traffic going through the toll plaza in the same amount of time, making for a much happier trip to the shore with minimal or no delays during peak periods. To kick-off the summer travel season, the Atlantic City Expressway is sponsoring a Safety Day program at the newly visitor-enhanced Farley Travel Plaza Friday, May 28 from 3-7 pm. The festivities will include exhibits and demonstrations by the State Police who will check the proper installation of child safety seats, free food and beverages. The New York Waterway will continue to provide daily commuter service between Weehawken, Hoboken and Jersey City in Hudson County and Belford in Monmouth County. Several ferry terminals have commuter parking served by NJ Transit rail and bus lines. NJ Transit is offering beach packages on the North Jersey Coast Line to Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach, Belmar and Manasquan that include beach admission and a round trip rail ticket. The beach packages are available weekends only starting Saturday May 29 and daily beginning June 26-Sept 6. The promotion is not valid during the morning and evening peak periods. The Pony Express on the North Jersey Coast Line goes to Monmouth Park for the summer during weekends and holidays. The price includes free grandstand admission during off peak hours. Riders can save on admission to Six Flags Great Adventure /Hurricane Harbor when purchasing round trip bus tickets at The Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, Newark Penn Station, the Greyhound bus terminal in Philadelphia or the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden. Customers must present their bus ticket receipt at the park. New Jersey customers also can get a discount on admission to Liberty Science Center, the Battleship New Jersey and The Old Barracks Museum. For additional information on special offers visit www.njtransit.com or call 1-800-626-RIDE. |
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