Bill Text: NJ A5098 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: Establishes new tourism regions and subregions in New Jersey.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-1)

Status: (Failed) 2023-06-08 - Withdrawn from Consideration [A5098 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5098-Amended.html

---

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5098

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 23, 2023

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  ROY FREIMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblyman  WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN

District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)

Assemblywoman  ELLEN J. PARK

District 37 (Bergen)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Stanley, Verrelli, Karabinchak, Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblymen Mukherji, Sampson, Sauickie and Assemblywoman Lampitt

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes new tourism regions and subregions in New Jersey.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee on February 16, 2023, with amendments.

  

An Act establishing new tourism regions and subregions in New Jersey and ¹[amending] supplementing¹ P.L.1977, c.225 ¹(C.34:1A-45 et seq.)¹.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     ¹[1.  Section 9 of P.L.1977, c.225 (C.34:1A-53) is amended to read as follows:

     9.    In the pursuance and promotion of a State policy on tourism, the division, at the direction of the Secretary of State, shall:

     a.     Provide and promote adequate opportunities for county and municipal participation, federal agency participation, and private citizens' involvement in the decision-making process of tourism planning and policy formulation;

     b.    Encourage all State, county, and municipal governmental and private agencies to do their utmost to assure the personal safety of residents and tourists both within and without tourist destination areas;

     c.     Take whatever administrative, litigable, and legislative steps as are necessary to minimize the problems of tourists in not receiving contracted services, including transportation, tours, hotels;

     d.    Attempt to reconcile and balance the activities and accommodations of the tourist with the daily pursuits and lifestyles of the residents;

     e.     Develop an understanding among all citizens of the role of tourism in New Jersey, both in terms of its economic and social importance and the problems it presents, through appropriate formal and informal learning experiences;

     f.     Cooperate with the Department of Education to promote throughout the educational system of New Jersey an awareness of New Jersey history and culture;

     g.    Ensure that the growth of the tourist industry is consistent with the attainment of economic, social, physical, and environmental objectives in any State plan and county plans that are adopted;

     h.    Continuously monitor and evaluate the social costs of growth of the tourist industry against the social benefits;

     i.     Emphasize in the State's tourism promotional efforts the high quality of the State's natural and cultural features;

     j.     Promote the tourist industry through such activities as Visitors Bureaus and similar county and municipal agencies, and assure that the tourist industry contributes its fair share of the cost of such promotion;

     k.    Request and receive from any department, division, board, bureau, commission, or other agency of the State, or any political subdivision or public authority thereof, such assistance and data as may be necessary to enable the division to carry out its responsibilities under this act;

     l.     In consultation with the council, review annually and, if necessary, revise or update the 10-year master plan developed pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1977, c.225 (C.34:1A-52), and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature containing an evaluation of the preceding year's activities and developments in tourism and the revisions recommended in the master plan;

     m.   At the direction of the council, operate the division's Travel and Tourism Cooperative Marketing Campaign Program; [and]

     n.    Establish and operate the division's Travel and Tourism Advertising and Promotion Program; and

     o.    Encourage the division to promote the development of local marketing organizations, including but not limited to destination marketing organizations and convention and visitor bureaus.

     In the pursuance and promotion of a State policy on tourism, there shall be three tourism regions in the State.  The three regions shall be as follows:

     1.    The Northern Tourism Region shall be comprised of Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties.

     2.    The Central Tourism Region shall be comprised of Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties.

     3.    The Southern Tourism Region shall be comprised of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May Counties.

     The division shall establish up to three subregions within the northern, central, and southern tourism regions, in consultation with the destination marketing organizations in the region.  The division shall encourage the development of at least one destination marketing organization to operate solely in each subregion, in addition to any organization operating in the entire region.  The division shall encourage all destination marketing organizations to operate collaboratively for the promotion of tourism within the entire tourism region.

(cf: P.L.2007, c.253, s.6)]¹

 

      ¹1.  a.  (New section)         In the pursuance and promotion of a State policy on tourism, the Division of Travel and Tourism, at the direction of the Secretary of State, shall encourage and promote the development of local marketing organizations, including but not limited to destination marketing organizations and convention and visitor bureaus.

      b.  In the pursuance and promotion of a State policy on tourism, there shall be three tourism regions in the State.  The three regions shall be as follows:

      (1)  the Northern Tourism Region, be comprised of Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, and Hudson counties;

      (2)  the Central Tourism Region, be comprised of Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties; and

      (3)  the Southern Tourism Region, be comprised of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May counties.

     c.  The division may establish up to three subregions within the Northern, Central, and Southern tourism regions, in consultation with the destination marketing organizations in the region.  The division shall encourage the development of at least one destination marketing organization to operate solely in each subregion, in addition to any organization operating in the entire region.  The division shall encourage all destination marketing organizations to operate collaboratively for the promotion of tourism within the entire tourism region.¹

 

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately.