On Thursday, February 1 the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) was invited to provide testimony on the state of the tourism industry during the Assembly Tourism, Gaming & the Arts Committee in Trenton. 

Committee Chair, Assemblyman Bill Moen of the Fifth Legislative District oversaw the hearing in his new leadership role calling on several industry leaders in the tourism community to provide remarks. Experts called to testify included representatives from the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association and various Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO) from across the state. 

Christina M. Renna, President & CEO spoke on behalf of the CCSNJ at the hearing. In her remarks, she stated that the Jersey Shore is the focal point of the region’s tourism community but also prioritized South Jersey’s growing agritourism community, specifically around wineries and breweries in Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Camden and Burlington counties. 

Additionally, Ms. Renna noted that although the Jersey Shore rarely struggles to attract visitors, the lack of transportation options in South Jersey stunts further industry growth. She told the Committee that the region is “essentially a transit desert…that impacts the numbers of visitors getting to the Jersey Shore.” She concluded her remarks by saying the state needs to look at South Jersey’s lacking transportation infrastructure with an eye towards growing the region’s economy. 

To read the CCSNJ’s full testimony, click here.