Sponsored by:
Senator ANDREW ZWICKER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Senator BOB SMITH
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblywoman SADAF F. JAFFER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Greenstein, Turner, Assemblymen Stanley, Karabinchak, Danielsen, Benson, DeAngelo and Assemblywoman Lopez
SYNOPSIS
Requires Division of Travel and Tourism to re-draw tourism map to promote Central Jersey; requires promotion of overnight stays.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee on June 12, 2023, with amendments.
An Act concerning tourism funding and promotion in New Jersey and supplementing P.L.1977, c.225 (C.34:1A-45 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. 1[Any use of federal economic relief funds in support of tourism promotion shall be designed to primarily benefit regions and activities most in need of economic relief, using the percentage of tourism decline in those regions or activities as the basis for directing the spending of relief funds.
b.]1 The Division of Travel and Tourism shall re-draw the State tourism map to create a “Central Jersey” region comprised, at a minimum of the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset, and to incorporate the “Central Jersey” region in all regional marketing activities, including in publications and on the VisitNJ.org website.
1[c.] b.1 The division shall remove from its grant applications and contracts any requirement that State tourism grant funds be targeted to audiences located at a minimum distance, and shall promote overnight stays.
1[d. The division shall dedicate at least 10 percent of its annual appropriation to the promotion of agritourism, including visits to farms, craft beverage makers, farm-to-table restaurants, farmers’ markets, and agriculturally themed festivals.]1
2. This act shall take effect 90 days following enactment.