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Even With Irene, Business At Jersey Shore Was Up For 2011

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. (CBS) -- So how was this summer "down the shore"?  Rather profitable, in the eyes of the business community.

The Cape May County Department of Tourism routinely surveys some 600 businesses -- everything from souvenir shops to real estate agencies.

"We have about a seven-percent response rate right now," says Diane Wieland, who heads that organization.  "Not a strong sampling, but we have about a little less than half of them saying that it was a great summer and many of them are saying it exceeded their expectations."

However, those responses came in before Hurricane Irene canceled the last weekend of August.

But even with that, Wieland predicts an almost eight percent increase in business along the shore compared to last year.

Among her evidence is that sales of beach tags were up in Ocean City and Cape May.  And she gives a lot of credit to visitors from Canada, who routinely spend a week or more on vacation, particularly in the Wildwoods.

Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060

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