Jersey Shorecast Predicts Tourism Will Full Recovery To Pre-Pandemic Levels This Summer Season
WILDWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- The Jersey Shore is gearing up for a busy summer season. At one point, some merchants thought they wouldn't have the staff to support an active season, but the "Jersey Shorecast" is giving a positive outlook for business owners.
The boards are bare, and there's a salty chill in the air. The Jersey Shore is staffing up to welcome the crowds on Memorial Day Weekend.
"We are really excited as Memorial Day approaches," Denise Beckson said.
Beckson from Morey's Piers in Wildwood says COVID-19 was a challenge, but they are rebounding and ready.
"The last two years have been really, really difficult, like nothing I have seen, completely unprecedented," Beckson said, "and this year, we are cautiously optimistic."
Beckson says at one point, everyone was jumping in to keep the piers up and running.
"Our CFO was out selling tickets. Our group sales director, who has been here for 30 years, was running a roller coaster," Beckson said. "Our carpenters are flipping burgers and everybody pitched it."
But now, they are seeing the open positions fill back up -- a sense of relief.
"People are learning to live with COVID and more willing to go back to work and interact and be around others and I think that's been a big piece of it," Beckson said.
That's not all.
Experts recently unveiled this year's "Jersey Shorecast," which shows monthly travel spending in the Garden State is increasing following the pandemic -- a positive outlook for business owners ahead of the unofficial start of the summer.
Morey's Piers is filling open positions with high school students, retirees and even international students again. If you are still looking for a job, there are open spots.
