Cape May County became the top leisure destination in New Jersey for the first time in decades. The County reported a 4.2% increase in visitor spending over the year prior, bringing in a total of $8.44 billion. The County is using this momentum to launch a multichannel campaign to promote FIFA and America’s 250th in Cape May County this summer.
The 12 million visitors supported over 42,000 jobs in Cape May County last year. Over recent years, the Cape May County Tourism Department has seen success in marketing the fall and winter season, to increase year-long numbers. This success can be seen in metrics like more than half, 52% of visitors, report coming to the County two or more times a year, according to the Department’s Visitor Survey.
“With a record-breaking $8.44 billion in visitor spending in 2025, Cape May County outperformed every other county in New Jersey for the first time in 32 years, making us the No. 1 leisure destination in the state,” said Cape May County Tourism Director Diane Wieland. “We led the state in food and beverage, retail and recreation, and our lodging sector reached $3.59 billion, a 6.9% increase over the previous year. Our business owners have proven yet again that their hard work and resilience can overcome even the most challenging of years.”
The primary marketing radius for the County’s Tourism Department is the 30 million people within a 300-mile radius of the County. Those markets include Greater Philadelphia, North and Central New Jersey, New York, the Baltimore to DC corridor, Northern Virginia, and Connecticut.
The forecast for summer 2026 is strong, with many regional hub events taking place to bring new visitors to the area. Cape May County is launching its America 250 campaign, inviting people to “Celebrate America’s 250th Down the Shore.” The County offers historic and coastal experiences that road-trippers want, while they are visiting the historic sites this summer. Also, economic travel trends favor affordable, flexible car travel.
Some of the focuses for this year’s marketing campaign include a fully integrated, multichannel approach, including broadcast, digital, mobile, billboards, print, radio, and PR. These are strategically layered to deliver repeated exposure across every major consumer touchpoint.
Photo credit: Cape May City Facebook
