The Legislature took up one of the state’s most debated questions: Does Central Jersey exist? It does. And some lawmakers want to give a boost to tourism there along with historical sites and agribusiness.
“This is about New Jersey’s economy. This is about making sure that we take advantage of the amazing state that we live in,” said Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-Middlesex).
How New Jersey organizes and markets itself as a tourism destination was the subject for lawmakers during a special joint committee hearing Thursday in the state Assembly.
Several pieces of tourism-related legislation were up for consideration, including a measure that calls for a redrawing of New Jersey’s tourism map to better emphasize distinct attractions in the northern, southern and central regions of the state.
The same measure also seeks to encourage more cooperation among tourism organizations operating within the same region to help boost each region’s broader efforts to attract tourists — and the economic activity that comes with them.
“New Jersey’s rich agricultural history, and its official nickname, the Garden State, are worthy of continued investment,” according to the bill.
In all, New Jersey attracted 96.6 million visitors in 2021, according to the latest annual tourism report released by state officials last year, representing a 14% increase over 2020, which was the first year of the pandemic. Despite the year-over-year improvement, the state has yet to reach its pre-pandemic visitation numbers, but early estimates for 2023 assume visitation by tourists will hit 116 million by the end of the year.
