Rainy, Cool Weather Hinders Summer Tourism in Jersey

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI

Updated 12:00 PM EST, Sat, Jun 27, 2009

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While planning for the current summer season, state and local tourism officials were mostly concerned that the sluggish economy would be their biggest detriment to attracting crowds to the Jersey Shore.

     But it turns out the weather has been the real problem.

After a strong Memorial Day weekend raised hopes for a strong season, a prolonged stretch of cool and wet weather has kept crowds away from bays and beaches along the coast. It also has reduced the number of people making day trips, an important part of the state's tourism industry.

"Even with the weather, we have been very busy on weekends, and that's meant good crowds for our restaurants, shopping and other attractions. The season has been profitable for many (area) merchants,'' said Scott Wahl, spokesman for the Cape May County shore community of Avalon.

"And while people who made plans to come out for a few days or a week and rented homes are still coming, others on the bubble -- those people who get up and think 'maybe I'll go to the shore' today -- decide not to come after seeing the rain is coming down,'' he added. "That's kept us a little soft (in overall visitors), especially during the midweek.''

Officials in neighboring communities told similar stories, but with improving weather expected for the July 4 holiday weekend, they are banking on better times ahead.

Boosting those hopes is that there haven't been any major beach closings, nor have their been reports of medical waste or other debris washing ashore in coastal communities. Last year, some towns were forced to close stretches of their beaches after dozens of syringes were discovered.

State Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Elaine Makatura said the agency constantly monitors water testing reports and surveillance flights conducted along the coast. Updates are posted on the agency's Web site.

"We have had some bay beach closings, but there have been no major concerns so far this season,'' she said, noting that such closures are determined by local authorities. "(Water quality) has been looking good so far,'' she said.