By MADDY VITALE
All of the indicators from beach tag sales to parking revenue show that this may be a banner season in Ocean City with visitors flocking to the beaches, Boardwalk, bayfront and downtown.
“Pre-season beach tag sales are always good early indicators of what the summer season may be like,” said the city’s Chief Financial Officer Frank Donato. “Most people come in to make their pre-season purchases to get the discounts. They are making a commitment to come back in the summer.”
Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce said since Memorial Day the weather truly has been on their side.
“Since Memorial Day we have had a good foundation for a great summer. The cool temperatures at the beach make Ocean City the perfect escape from the heat,” Gillian pointed out. “It’s been a beautiful summer and there is still plenty of time to book your vacation.”
Beach tag sales are considered a key barometer of the strength of the summer season. Sales topped last year’s pre-season figure for purchases on or before May 31 by $62,000, for a total of $2,121,000 in beach tag sales, Donato said.
In June, there was a dramatic upswing in beach tag revenue from the year before, up from $553,000 in 2018 to $623,000 this year.
“That is a difference of $70,000 and collectively we are up $130,000 compared to last year,” Donato said, factoring in the pre-season sales and June figures.
The July numbers will be coming out within the next week or so, he said.
Donato believes, like the months before it, July will prove very fruitful for beach tag revenue.
“Based on the good weather and on the weekends, with rains arriving at night, I think we are looking forward to a strong July when the numbers come in from a beach perspective,” he explained.
One of the attractions of the beaches in “America’s Greatest Family Resort” is how clean they are, he said.
“Our Public Works crews are out doing grading and picking up trash and recycling every day to make sure our beaches are clean,” Donato said. “They have held up to coastal storms and they are in great shape.”
The popularity of Ocean City’s sandy shoreline was reflected again this summer when it was selected as New Jersey’s “Favorite Beach” in a statewide contest conducted by the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. Altogether, Ocean City has taken top honors in the contest 11 years.
The city’s 7-mile-long beachfront, which is much bigger than neighboring towns, allows it to handle enormous crowds. At the peak of summer, an estimated 150,000 vacationers visit Ocean City, a community with roughly 11,000 year-round residents.
Ocean City tops all of the other shore towns in the state in total beach tag revenue, often coming in at or near the $4 million mark.
Officials also look at parking revenue as another measure of the strength of the summer season. Just like with beach tag sales, Ocean City is enjoying an increase in parking revenue this year. For parking, revenue was up from last June 30 by $158,000.
“Both May and June were up, but May in particular, was very busy for parking compared to last May,” Donato said.
Both Donato and Gillian stressed that the city has so much to offer even if the weather is not ideal for beachgoing or water sports.
The Boardwalk features rides, attractions and amusements as well as shopping and restaurants. The downtown specializes in boutique-style shopping and a variety of eateries.
Ocean City also prides itself on the weekly Farmers Market, Wacky Wednesdays for kids at the Music Pier, Family Night on Thursdays and a host of other activities that fill up a vacationer’s schedule day and night.
Gillian emphasized, “With all our activities on the beach, bay, Boardwalk, and downtown, Ocean City is the perfect place for all ages and interests.”
