Mercer County Tourism Up for 3rd Consecutive Year

Tourism spending in the Princeton and Central Jersey region is on the rise for the third year in a row, according to figures released by the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism.

Expenditures in Mercer County were $1.13 billion in 2012, an almost 4 percent increase from 2011 and an all-time high, according to “The Economic Impact of Tourism in New Jersey” report issued last week at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism held in Atlantic City. In 2011, spending was $1.08 billion, which then marked a 10 percent increase compared to 2010’s expenditures of $973 million.

“We can attribute the growth to the continued promotion of the area through the Princeton Regional Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and its partners working to establish the region as a desirable destination,” said Peter Crowley, president and CEO of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce, which oversees the PRCVB. 

State and local tax receipts Mercer County were $151.7 million, or 3.3 percent of the state revenues. This is a 4.1 increase from 2011’s $145.7 million.

“Tourism is an essential industry in Mercer County and the State of New Jersey because it produces tax revenues and employs citizens,” said Adam Perle, vice president of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce. “If tourism did not exist in our communities each property owner would need to pay $1,420 extra in taxes just to maintain current revenue levels.”

Direct tourism employment was down slightly, -0.1 percent or 14 jobs, in Mercer County during 2012 with 11,148 positions, or 5.1 percent of Mercer County’s jobs. In 2011 there were 11,162 positions, up from 2010’s figure of 11,022.

The total employment impact was 20,638, or 9.4 percent of the county’s employment in 2012.