Visitors to New Jersey last year spent a record $50.6 billion. The 123.7 million people who traveled into the Garden State in 2024 also marked an all-time high.
The New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism reports in its “2024 Economic Impact of Visitors to New Jersey” study that the travel and tourism industries in the state have never been healthier.
“We are proud that New Jersey continues to bring in new visitors every day to experience the state’s mix of natural beauty, rich history, and cultural attractions,” said Governor Phil Murphy (D). “With landmark events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 and America’s 250th anniversary on the horizon, we cannot wait to show even more travelers, residents, and friends the very best of what the Garden State has to offer.”
No county is more important to New Jersey’s tourism industry than Atlantic County, home to Atlantic City and its nine casino resorts. Atlantic County was responsible for more than 20% of New Jersey’s overnight visitors, with approximately 10.91 million guests renting lodging in Atlantic County last year.
Atlantic County was also responsible for the most same-day visitors at 13.1 million in-and-out guests. That represented nearly 19% of the state’s same-day visitor traffic.
As for total visitor volume, Atlantic County accounted for 24 million visitors, or 19.4% of the statewide total.
Protecting Atlantic City
Murphy and other state officials celebrated the record-setting year for New Jersey travel and tourism. But the state’s greatest tourism assets — Atlantic County and Atlantic City — will face new competition in the coming years by way of New York City.
Before the year’s end, three full-scale casino licenses that come with privileges to conduct slot machines, live dealer table games, and sports betting in NYC, Long Island, and Westchester County will be awarded. Once those casinos are up and running, the millions of New Yorkers who venture south to the Jersey Shore to gamble in Atlantic City will have options much closer to home.
Despite a 1.8% year-over-year visitor volume uptick in 2024, brick-and-mortar Atlantic City casino revenue contracted 1.1%. The reduced casino spend led to diminished overall expenditures in Atlantic County.
“Visits to shore counties were mixed, as Cape May led the way with 5% growth, while Atlantic City spending growth was more moderate as a result of declining casino revenue,” the study reported.
Staying Competitive
Atlantic City casinos are investing in updating their resort properties and adding new non-gaming amenities to keep the destination attractive once the downstate New York casinos open. Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts and the Casino Association of New Jersey, in April said he’s forecasting “a true renaissance” for the casino town.
One asset the New York casinos will not be able to offer, assuming no casino is authorized on Long Island, is the Atlantic Ocean. The city and the casinos have invested in sand restoration initiatives to resolve years of beach erosion that has left little to no sunbathing space on the northern end of the Boardwalk.
The return of Atlantic City’s annual airshow is also seen as a key element in growing tourism spending in the casino town. The casino industry and local government are also committed to bringing back beach concerts and further making Atlantic City a family-friendly destination.