Bad reputation hurts Jersey shore brand, travel expert says

John Curran

Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 | 9:07 a.m.

WILDWOOD, N.J. -- Rejected by many as congested, dirty and not that friendly, the Jersey shore suffers from a Cleveland-scale image problem that stunts growth in the state's $30 billion tourism business, a travel expert told a conference Wednesday.

While the state's 127-mile coastline boasts dozens of "hidden gems" that inspire repeat visits by vacationers, its reputation as a place with traffic, urban blight and thickly accented locals holds it back, according to consultant Sanford Keziah, who surveyed more than 6,600 people -- at the shore, away from it and nationally -- in a bid to assess the viability of the Jersey shore as a brand.

Even those who love its "tiny gems" tend to describe their favorite vacation spots in negative ways, using phrases like "It's gotten better" or "You should've seen it when ... ," said Keziah.

"The shore brand is currently working against you. You need to reclaim it and make it work for you," said Keziah, who delivered the keynote address at a "Summit on the Shore" tourism conference that drew about 500 innkeepers, amusement park officials and attractions operators.

The event, the second in a series of three, was held by the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, a state agency that directs casino reinvestment money into public projects around the state.

CRDA Executive Director Curtis Bashaw wants to use the series -- which is costing about $900,000 to hold -- to get New Jersey's public and private tourism interests to promote themselves more as one brand and less as competitors.

But first, they'll have to overcome the image problem, said Keziah, who was skittish about delivering the bad news in a roomful of Jersey shore partisans.

Standing on a podium in a Wildwoods Convention Center ballroom, he made everyone in the room stand up, raise their right hands and promise not to blame him before he told them the results of the surveys.

"I, New Jersey shore stakeholder," he began, waiting for the audience to repeat after him, "do solemnly swear to do my utmost to not shoot the messenger."

Turning the brand into a positive would require some investment by the state -- which currently spends $5.7 million annually on New Jersey tourism advertising -- but can be helped at the grassroots level by training rank-and-file workers to be more courteous and efficient in dealing with visitors, he said.

His audience was receptive, if guarded.

After Gov. James E. McGreevey outlined plans to change the name of the New Jersey Commerce and Economic Growth Commission to the New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission, a motel operator from Cape May asked him if the state had any plans to repeal a 13 percent tax on room rentals.

McGreevey, who also ducked questions about his personal and professional plans after leaving office Nov. 15, didn't give a straight answer.

"It does more damage than it does good," said George Loper, owner of the 12-unit Madison Motel. "The last couple of years, we've had bad years up and down the Jersey coast. People are taking shorter stays and going other places because of it," he said in an interview.

Richard Helfant, executive director of Lucy the Elephant, a tourist attraction in Margate, said the idea of a Jersey shore brand was a good one.

"It's a great concept," said Helfant. "I'm a native of Atlantic City and I don't think it'll get the support it needs, but I'm here."