Publication: Princeton Internet Group, Inc. (PING)
Date: Mar 26, 2009

The Princeton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau joined fifteen other Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) from across New Jersey on Monday, March 23 at MacCulloch Hall in Morristown, NJ to sign and announce a Declaration of Destination illustrating the impact of tourism on the state's economy and the necessity to retain its funding. Representatives from the signing Destination Marketing Organizations spoke of the need for increased funding from the state so that DMOs can expedite the expected rebound of the tourism market and, in tu, fuel New Jersey's economy.

Emboldened as one of the few industries to avoid cuts in the recently released state budget, Destination Marketing Organizations have signed the Declaration of Destination setting forth an aggressive agenda that calls for an increase of 400% in 2010. The Declaration of Destination, and accompanying White Paper research, maintains that the travel and tourism industry is the third largest business sector in the state of New Jersey accounting for $38 billion in revenues. One out of every nine New Jersey workers has a job in tourism with a total of 470,000 direct and indirect jobs which accounts for 11.4% of total employment and approximately $16 billion in wages and salaries. Among other items, the Declaration of Destination notes that localized destination marketing organizations are proven effective at establishing and increasing travel and tourism expenditures.

The following Destination Marketing Organizations joined the Princeton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau in signing the Declaration of Destination:

Central New Jersey Convention and Visitors Bureau Destination Trenton Greater Newark Convention and Visitors Bureau Hudson County Cultural Affairs and Tourism Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce Jersey Shore Region Meadowlands Liberty Convention and Visitors Bureau Morristown Visitors Center NJ Southe Shore Skylands of NJ Tourism Council Somerset County Business Partnership Southe Ocean Greater Long Beach Island Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau