VOL. 15 NO. 6 WEEK OF FEBRUARY 6 TO FEBRUARY 12, 1980 published every Wednesday by the seavyave • CORPORATION, P.O. BOX 0. AVALON. N.J 08307

Casinos & the Cape — What Gives

DIAMOND BEACH - Jersey Cape business people concerned about competition from Atlantic City can turn the casino lure into their own bonanza by

proper packaging.

That was the prevailing view during & recent seminar at the Holiday Inn here of

A PANEL OF SEVEN experts from the tourist, transportation, travel and entertainment industries provided the hotelmotel executives with a variety of ideas on how to package their vacation business with the gambling and entertainment

offerings of Atlantic City.

"Atlantic City doesn't pose the slightest threat to the Wildwoods. ’

THE SEMINAR WAS IN direct response to earlier concerns expressed by Mayor Muzlani that the new entertainment industry in Atlantic City has siphoned customers from the Wildwoods by offering free room and services to gambling

patrons.

17

some 150 area hotel and motel owners from the area of the Wildwoods and other nearby communities. Sponsored by the newly-created Division of Travel and Tourism within the New r Jersey Department of Labor and Industry, the first-of-its-kind gathering was aimed at promoting tourism to the Garden State with particular emphasis on merchandising local offerings with side trips to Atlantic City

Such a program, the experts suggested, would raise the prospect of transferring the Wildwoods and other Jersey Cape communities into a year-round resort area instead of a summer-only vacation spot. The seminar was organized by Travel and Tourism director Stephen Richer, and Tourism representative Lynn Hackerman in cooperation with Wildwood Mayor Guy Muziam and representatives of Resorts

International.

State Begins Touting Jersey Vacations On International Level

Arthur Frommer. president of Arthur Frommer International and author of ’’Europe on $5 a Day,” emphasized that ’ Atlantic City doesn't pose the slightest threat to the Wildwoods. For you, the Wildwoods. there is unimaginable op-

portunity at Atlantic City."

a leading figure in international tourism. Frommer added that more people are traveling within the United States due to the cost of fuel and other

inflationary problems

“NOW IS THE TIME for New Jersey to enter into the national and international tourism market." he said. "The opportunity is

great because long range international vacations are diminishing " He suggested that tours which go outside the United States may be replaced with tours to Atlantic City, including arrangements for foreign travelers to spend several days at any one of a number of the Garden State's prized bathing beaches "You can add to the Jersey shore’s beautiful attractions the glitter of Atlantic City." Frommer said ’’The casinos ther#. are going to become world-known tourist's attractions." / "AT THIS TIME APPROXIMATELY 80 percent of the state's residents don't vacation in New Jersey." Richer interjected. "It's time for New Jersey to take part in making tourism the largest industry in New Jersey " William Derasmo. assistant vice president of sales and marketing at Resorts, gave the seminar registrants assurance that favorable accommodations offered for certain key customers is no 1 Page 3 Please i %

Byrne to Keynote S.J. Tourism Confab Feb. 19

TRENTON — New Jersey has begun marketing its tourist assets to the international travel market, according to state I^ibor & Industry Commissioner John Horn. New Jersey's first sales presentation was made in Spain, "one of America’s fastest growing sources of tourist trade." Commissioner Horn noted in a news release. Recently international tourism representative Lynn Hackerman. from N.J.'s Division of Travel & Tourism, joined with representatives of Iberia. Eastern Airlines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the state of New York in presenting the metropolitan area's tourism story to the Spanish tourism industry Ms. Hackerman has already met with several local and county government officials in Cape May County on the concept of promoting the Jersey Cape in the international market.

"The trip was very successful in allowing us to take the first step in developing an international image for New Jersey tourism." Horn noted. "It was also the first time New Jersey worked together with New York through the Port Authority to market the metropolitan gateway as overseas destinations "With the advent of casino gambling. 127 miles of fine Atlantic Ocean beaches, the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Liberty State Park and the Pinelands. New Jersey is becoming one of the hottest year ’round destinations." Mr Horn said. He noted that the trip to Spain had brought state tourism personnel in direct contact with some 800 Spanish travel agents and officials in four major cities. According to Ms. Hackerman. Jersey (.'ape officials and tourism industry business people mast seriously consider packaged tours as one way of tapping the lucrative oversea's market

ATLANTIC CITY Registration deadline is next Monday for the second annual Tourism Conference, sponsored by the South Jersey Tourism Council and Stockton State College. This year s conference which takes place Feb 19 at Rally's Park Place, features a keynote address by' (kw Brendan Byrne plus presentations by several professionals in tourism promotion. The program begins at 10:30 a m with a welcome by council president Mildred Fox and Dt Peter Mitchell of Stockton State College <where last year's conference convened >. The governor's address follows with objectives of the conference being spelled out immediately afterward by Assemblyman Jim Hurley (who spearheaded formation of the council a couple of years ago). COUNCIL MEMBERS will make progress reports, and then Steve Norton, executive vice president of Resorts International will present "Ideas for South Jersey From Bahamas Tourism Development." The 10:30 to noon session will conclude with a slide presentation of "Skylines-to-be" by Bill Downey of the Atlantic City Casino Hotel Association Travel trade publisher Joel Abels will present the state's first "Sales Guide" and discuss further programs during lunch Other luncheon speakers will tell how both the federal and state governments can be of help in furthering South Jersey tourism. The luncheon session will close with an open discussion during which two-minute suggestions from participants will be sought on "Ideas for 1980 " Dr. Philip Nanzctta. vice president of Stockton State College, will conclude the all-day session with a talk at 3:20 on the significance of the day 's activities THE GOAL OF THE South Jersey Tourism Council (mailing address: Box 876. Millville. N.J. 08332) is continuous promotion of South Jersey as an eightcounty area offering a variety of attractions to a wide range of tourist interests. many on a year-round basis In the promotion of this concept, the council points, out thaj, South Jersey is within a tank of gas for 33 million drivers and millions more flying in.

"South Jersey is the energy alternative for tourism," a council slogan notes "South Jersey is so small, you can sec it all, using very little energy," goes another public relations remark. With an area of 3.000 square miles. South Jersey is smaller than Yellowstone National Park, the Everglades, the Bahamas. Hawaii or Jamaica another fact pointed out by the council MORE THAN 200 persons attended last year's initial conference keynoted by Senator Steven Perskie and Mack Armstrong of Holiday Inhs "We will make up for lost time, judging by the pace of development and the intensity of national attention upon this area." a conference spokesperson said in announcing the Feb 19 gathering South Jersey Tourism Council trustees Bob Men* of the Marquis de Lafayette, and Warren Watson of the Merion Inn - both in Cape May - are among thdse on the committee for this year's conference Other council trustees from the Jersey Cape include George Phillips of the Rock 'n' Chair in Avalon. Ed Nesbitt of the county Bridge Commission, and Wally Laudemann of the Lobster House. —r/i Reminder— Thursday a week. Feb. u (Valentine’s Day), is the deadline to file petitions by anyone interested in running for the local board of education. This year's school district election — during which school board candidates and (indirectly) the school district budget are voted upon — is Mar. 25. Those interested in serving on their district schnol board may pick up nominating petitions from the school board secretary — who will also be able to tell prospective board members hoW the petition process works.

ANOTHER SET of traffic signals arc now in operation in the red-yellow-green mode on the Garden State Pkwy. in the Cape May Court House area. The newest lights are at the Crest Haven intersection, about a mile north of the lights at the Stone Harbor Blvd. intersection. They are (he only traffic lights on the entire 172-mlle parkway.