Bill > A657

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Office of Tourism Research in the Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State, and requires the office and the division to take specific measures concerning tourism advertising, marketing, research, and training for tourism-related businesses. Under the bill, the Office of Tourism research would coordinate and undertake ongoing research on the travel and tourism market within the State, which research would support and inform the tourism marketing activities routinely undertaken by the division and the tourism industry. The office would conduct research to create a database of potential travelers, which would be incorporated into current marketing strategies. The potential travelers would be targeted as primary audiences for general, regional, seasonal, and specialized travel within the State. The office would also develop an appropriate methodology to routinely conduct an ongoing survey of the effectiveness of the State's travel and tourism marketing activities. In addition, the office would develop a comprehensive survey of the State's tourism assets and identify and organize tourism attractions into at least seven sectors. These sectors would include, but would not be limited to, heritage; amusements and entertainment; scenic attractions; sports and outdoors; retail; agricultural, food and beverage; and meetings and convention tourism. The bill also directs the Division of Travel and Tourism to contract with outside marketing experts after a competitive process to establish a comprehensive marketing plan designed to market the State as a tourism destination within the United States and abroad. The marketing plan would include the designation of target geographic markets; the State's branding as a tourist destination; an overall advertising strategy; Statewide and regional cooperative marketing; uniform tourism signage; the integration of a database of potential travelers developed by the office into the marketing plan; information and assistance for tourism-related businesses in obtaining financing for enhancing tourist attractions; the distribution of information to the travel industry and others about New Jersey as a destination; the identification of primary international markets; and an analysis of how the division may use the services of New Jersey trade offices overseas to promote the State as a destination. The division is also directed under the bill to provide training and assistance to persons or business entities in the tourism, hospitality, and travel industries, either directly or through consultants who are experts in the field. The training would aim to facilitate the growth and expansion of tourist facilities and attractions. Training would include, but may not be limited to, resource management and development; product development; tourism business development; identifying and positioning new tourism product lines through targeted marketing; and assistance in obtaining financing from private and public sources to fund improvements for tourist attractions. For potential tourism businesses, the division would establish educational and informational programs directed toward individuals or business entities that are interested in starting and operating a tourism business; investing in the State's tourism industry; or wishing to expand an existing tourism operation. Finally, the bill directs the division to create a set of free mobile applications for download to smart phones and other mobile communications devices for use by tourists, travelers, and members of the public to facilitate tourism activities in this State. The mobile applications would be developed for various tourism, hospitality, and travel categories. These categories would include, but would not be limited to, navigation, attractions, dining, and entertainment. In developing the mobile applications, the bill requires the division evaluate similar tourism-oriented mobile applications developed for use in other jurisdictions. The division is permitted to contract with private mobile application developers after a competitive process to develop the applications. The bill amends current law to require the division to consider the resources needed to foster and encourage a robust tourism sector through the training and assistance of tourism industry businesses. The bill also amends current law to require the division to undertake such tourism business training, and to avoid duplication in the research activities undertaken by the Office of Tourism Research established under the bill and the existing New Jersey Tourism Policy Council.

Committee Categories

Sean Kean (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document