Located on the Atlantic coast in New Jersey, Atlantic City is a resort city that is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state. It is known for its many attractions, including historical landmarks, casinos, and beaches. Those who visit this city will find a wide range of activities to keep them entertained during their stay.
With more than a dozen gaming and entertainment resorts now operating on or near its famous boardwalk, Atlantic City endures as a top vacation destination.
Below are some information about the city tourism trends and statistics.
PRE & POST PANDEMIC TRENDS
- Atlantic City is the seaside gaming and resort capital of the East Coast.
- The city hosts over 27 million visitors a year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States.
- More than $1.7 billion in investments in recent years has enhanced Atlantic City’s magnetic appeal with world-renowned casino resorts and hotels, big-name restaurants featuring famous chefs, unique attractions, headline entertainment, luxurious spas, championship golf, elite shopping, and more.
- In September 2020, Tripadvisor named Atlantic City as one of the “top 10 travel destinations in the US”. According to the company, only Key Largo and Key West in Florida were more popular.
- Atlantic County leads the tourism industry in New Jersey, employing nearly 50,000 workers and generating $6.7 billion dollars in annual revenue in 2016.
- Visitor numbers declined in 2020, as they did in many other parts of the US, but 2021 has seen a complete reversal of fortunes for the city.
- Despite the pandemic, the Atlantic City casino industry generated nearly $422 million in total state tax revenue from gaming operations in 2021.
- Atlantic City contributes about 1/6th (Person-Stays, Person-Days, and Stays) to 1/4th (Trip-Dollars) of New Jersey’s Day Leisure market shares.
- This seaside city promises so much more than gambling and nightlife, including celebrity-chef restaurants, sumptuous spas, family-friendly activities, museums, championship golf, and more.
- The latest rebirth of Atlantic City has focused on a unique culinary scene, arts, and quality hotels that give people easy access to a thriving resort.
- Atlantic City gambling revenue in March 2022 was $216.6 million, a year-over-year increase of 17.2%.
- Toll-paying traffic on the Atlantic City Expressway rose 6.5% in the first quarter of 2022 over the same period last year. The number of passengers using Atlantic City International Airport jumped 69 percent.
- June - August are known as the busiest months of Atlantic City.
- Atlantic City contributes about 1/6th (Person-Stays, Person-Days, and Stays) to 1/4th (Trip-Dollars) of New Jersey’s Day Leisure market shares
- 40% of Atlantic Visitors come from the neighboring States.
- They are New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, and Maryland.
- More than 9 out of 10 Atlantic City visitors come from 5 states with about 51% coming from New Jersey itself and an additional 40% coming from the neighboring states of New York and Pennsylvania.
DEMOGRAPHY
- Atlantic City visitors can be described in three ways; basic demographics, life stages, and generation.
- Visitors are more likely to belong to Lifestages with no children in the household
- In 2019, the average age and generational composition of visitors to New Jersey are shaped by Atlantic City’s mature visitors.
- Atlantic City welcomes slightly older travelers than the US average which is not only reflected in higher shares of GenX and Boomers, but also in higher shares of travelers who have children in the household.
HABITS AND MOTIVES
- Vacation and VFR are the main motives of visitors visiting the region.
- In 2019 visitors spent on average $115 in New Jersey per person per day - $19 more than in 2018 with increases in Food & Beverage (+$7), Entertainment (+$6) and Other expenses (+$3) while shopping remained fairly stable.
- Atlantic City is driving the average daily spending for the State.
- Travel parties consisting of one or two adults account for over three-quarters of Atlantic City Day Leisure travel.
- Almost all Day Leisure travel parties participate in an activity when visiting the State.
- Atlantic City Day Leisure travel has a much higher propensity to participate in the following activities than travel parties. (Gambling, Beach/Waterfront, Theme/Amusement/Water Parks, Water Sports, Bicycling, Wedding, Nightlife, Holiday Celebration)
- Day Leisure visitors report strong satisfaction (80% excellent rating) with their Atlantic City stay in 2019.
OTHER TRENDS
- In 2019, New Jersey remained the number 1 supplier of visitors to the State.
- New Jersey visitors tend to take more leisure vacations than their out-of-state counterparts.
- New Jersey hosted 52 million day leisure visitors, spending almost 3.9 billion dollars in 2019 – another all-time high for both visitors and spending in the State.
- Volume grew at a higher rate (5.4%) than the average U.S. destination (4.2%) over 2018.
- Day Leisure travelers make up about 45.5% of all New Jersey’s travelers – a share that’s fairly consistent over the past years.
- In terms of their spending, day leisure travelers contribute only 16.1% to New Jersey’s Total Spending.
- The Greater Atlantic City Region saw a substantial increase in 2019 after years of consistent decreases, raising it from 5th to 2nd place when compared to New Jersey’s six regions.
- Atlantic City is not just casinos attracting visitors either. Millions of Americans have been flocking to Atlantic City to take advantage of its beach, boardwalk, and (Historic Gardner’s) Basin.
- Construction on Atlantic City’s world-famous Boardwalk began in 1870, and from then on it has become an American icon.
- Atlantic City's hotel has a total of 150,000 rooms.
- Atlantic City Casino gaming plays a vital role in the tourism industry across the state, providing a growing labor market that supports and sustains the local region.
- The city's casino industry continues to diversify Atlantic City's offerings, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in redevelopment projects and amenities.
