Sun Editorial: Stay local this summer
We seem to often preach how important it is to stay local for the summertime. And that’s because it’s true. The 102 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends are crucial for the Jersey Shore, which, no matter where you live in our fine state, has a vital impact on our economy.
The devastation that was caused by Hurricane Sandy seems like a distant memory, but some Shore towns are still fighting to fully recover. Those that have recovered still desperately need visitors; they still need our support.
Beach Season 2013, the one immediately following Sandy, was not a good one. As if rebuilding from Sandy wasn’t bad enough, an incredibly wet June kept visitors away from the Shore during prime weekends. Sales for stores that year in the hardest-hit areas were off anywhere from 20–40 percent, according to state economic reports. Gov. Christie’s office estimated companies lost more than $63 million in business due to the storm.
Last year got a little better, but it wasn’t back to pre-storm numbers. A Tourism Economics report, presented by the state Division of Travel and Tourism, found that visitors to the Shore rose 4.4 percent statewide last year, but spending didn’t keep pace, increasing only 3.7 percent. Direct tourism employment fell 1.3 percent, the first time it declined since 2010, but that was mainly due to hard times in Atlantic City.
So what’s the message here? It’s simple: Visit the Shore this summer, visit often, and spend money there.
New Jersey residents often take our coastline for granted, but we should realize how lucky we are to have such a gem this close to home. So let’s pay it back this summer. As hard as it may seem to fathom, there are only six weeks until the official start of the summer beach season, but there is still plenty of time to plan your summer vacation at the Jersey Shore.
The beach towns need your support. Let’s all dedicate at least part of our summer to giving back.
