Eric Sucar

AAA asks ‘To the beach or down the shore?’

HAMILTON – The AAA Clubs of New Jersey recently polled New Jersey residents to gain insight about 2016 summer vacation plans and get the answer to an age old question, “Do you go to the beach or down the shore?” The results are in and sixty percent of those surveyed say they “go down the shore.”

Overall the survey found that 85 percent of survey respondents will be taking a summer vacation with an overwhelming majority visiting New Jersey Beaches, a boost for NJ tourism.  Of those going down the shore the majority will be making day trips with the average person taking five trips over the course of the summer.  Weekenders come in next, followed by those staying a week or longer.

Other vacation destinations include:

Atlantic City                                29%
Upstate New York                       13%
New England                              12%
Poconos                                     12%
Washington D C                          11%
Other US destination                   16%
Other non-US destination             10%

The road trip rules this summer with 74  percent of those traveling going by automobile, followed by 13 percent flying, and eight percent using other modes of transportation to get to their vacation destination.

Additionally, survey respondents were asked, “Have you returned to your regular pre Superstorm Sandy summer destination spot(s)?” 72 percent of those surveyed said yes.

“The loyalty that New Jerseyans have to their beaches is clear and the survey reaffirms that people will be making a concentrated effort to support Jersey Shore communities,” said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Vacationers will bring an influx tourism dollars to the shore regions which is a boost to the economy of those still renovating and rebuilding from Superstorm Sandy.  The landscape of some Shore communities may have been altered but not the determination of its dedicated visitors.”

AAA Mid-Atlantic advocates on behalf of its nearly four million members in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. It provides a wide range of personal insurance, travel, financial and automotive services through its 60 AAA stores, regional operations centers, Car Care Insurance & Travel Centers and the Internet.  For more information, please visit www.AAA.com.