Tourism spending in New Jersey hit $44.7 billion in 2018

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – New Jersey’s beaches, casinos, forests and cities attracted tourists who spent nearly $45 billion last year.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy says tourism spending in New Jersey has increased for nine years in a row.

Speaking at a tourism conference Thursday in Trenton, Murphy said the tourism industry generated $5 billion in state and local taxes in 2018. He said about 111 million people visited the Garden State last year, up more than 7 per cent from the previous year.

Tourism is the state’s seventh-largest industry, supporting nearly 334,000 jobs. When indirect jobs, such as those that supply the industry, are included, the figure rises to over 531,000 jobs.

Food and beverages, and lodging, accounted for the largest share of tourism spending.