The Heart And Soul Of Nj

The Jersey shore. It spans the entire east border of central and south New Jersey. It's quiet for most of the year, but during the summer, its one of the most popular places to go. There are so many great things to do at the shore. Often called America's Favorite Playground, Atlantic City is one of the most bustling shore towns. Seaside Heights and Wildwood both have huge, famous boardwalks with tons of arcades, rides, and things to do. There are historic lighthouses to visit, and concerts to go to. The Jersey Shore hasn't always been all fun and games though.

There have been a lot of problems and issues over the years that have caused the shore to get a bad reputation and prevented tourism from expanding to its potential. First off is an obvious problem Ð'- people do not want to go to the beach unless it is summer. Another problem over the years has been cleanliness. For years, the shore has had a reputation as unclean and grimy. Business owners and locals have realized these problems though, and for a number of years, they have been working to fix them. Obviously they want their shore to have a good reputation. That's why they have teamed up with local governments to correct the problems have existed and that still exist today. The first step has been to work on the economy. Bringing in steady amounts of money is one of the best ways to keep the shore going. They are laboring hard to clean up the shore, and to get rid of any false misconceptions that are present. With the government involved, there are a lot of legal actions that are being taken as well. In the end, all these steps are vital for the Jersey shore's reputation to improve and its status as a center of tourism to progress.

Economics is easily one of the most important topics in American society today, and it is no less important to the people of New Jersey. The easiest way to improve an economy is to encourage spending. Obviously, there are an endless number of means to achieve this goal. One of the more successful and desirable methods though is through tourism. According to one of former Governor James McGreevey's cabinet members, Curtis Bashaw, "So many other regions long for the brand identity the Jersey Shore already has" (McGreevey Kicks OffÐ'...). Basically, New Jersey has the potential to make the shore a huge tourist attraction. Tourism is, in fact, the second largest industry in New Jersey (ib id.).

Increasing the levels and profitability of tourism at the Jersey Shore should not be too much of an undertaking. It is also something that was very important to James McGreevey while he was in office. He pointed out that seventy-five percent of the state governments in this country have their own divisions or departments devoted solely to tourism. New Jersey is in the twenty-five percent that does not (McGreevey & CabinetÐ'...). For starters, he changed the name of the New Jersey Commerce and Economic Growth Commission to the New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission. "By adding tourism to the name of the commission, we are sending a message about its importance, a message that will change the way tourism is prioritized within state government and that affords tourism the prominence it deserves," McGreevey reasoned (Ahearn). A stronger, more precise focus on tourism will definitely benefit the Jersey Shore in the long run.

It is also important, though, to start focusing on the entire year, not just the three or four summer months. Any full time resident of a Shore town can point out the transition that occurs around the middle of September every year. The motels and bed and breakfasts are vacant, the boardwalks are empty, and the streets are quiet. Making tourism a year round focus is a much more effective strategy. In an effort to do this, there is a new group called the Jersey Shore Alliance. It is essentially an association of business and shop owners in the shore region. Their collective goal is achieving a higher level of year round tourism. In a lot of the smaller shore towns, a majority of the shops are aimed at locals. This is great if you live at the shore, but not for attracting tourists. The Shore Alliance wants to increase the number of shops and stores, and shift their focus towards being more marketable to tourists.

Entertainment is another part of the Jersey Shore experience that will help draw more tourists on a more consistent schedule. There are only a few towns along the shore that are known for their concerts. The problem is though, that even these few towns don't have concerts that are going to attract a young crowd. While he may be a New Jersey legend, having Bruce Springsteen as the biggest shore concert of the year isn't going to attract anyone that isn't from the area. Shore towns definitely should be pursuing concerts that are attractive to people in their teens and their twenties. The Jersey Shore is always a place to find a great beach, but anyone who goes there regularly knows that there is a deficiency of big events. This fact is even more evident to people who are not from the area, or who do not go to the shore that often. Troy Roberts, who is fifty-two and lives in Queens, NY, travels to Atlantic City twice a year. "While he enjoys shows and concerts, he [claims to be] disappointed there [aren't] more entertainment options" (Hennessy). Another New York couple, John and Gail Porter, who make the trek to the Jersey Shore at least once a year, agree that, "Better shopping options and more family entertainment could make the trip even better" (Hennessy). Thankfully, the Jersey Shore Alliance is now in place and realizes all these issues. It is working hard to bring more entertainment and marketable shops to the shore. In turn, this will greatly help increase the amount and consistency of tourism that is present.

No matter how much work is done on the Jersey shore in terms of economics, the shore's image is possibly the most important factor in tourism levels. Unless people think the shore is a clean, safe place to go, attendance levels will remain low. This has, unfortunately, been on the Jersey shore's biggest problems in its recent history. For many years, rumors and perceptions of the shore being dirty and dangerous have been running rampant. In many cases, these rumors were not false. The beaches have not always been clean. Between beachgoers leaving their garbage behind and things washing up from the water, the beaches have sometimes been mistaken with New Jersey's numerous landfills and waste depots. Wayne Janke and his family, residents of Hunterdon County in central New Jersey, have owned a beach house in Lavallette (one mile north of Seaside Heights) for twenty-four years now. There is a private beach