Michael Snyder, Director of Operations, Visit South Jersey
Michael Snyder, director of operations for Visit South Jersey, talked to Invest: about the intense preparations planned and already underway in New Jersey in advance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both of which will cause transformational, long-term impacts on the South Jersey communities. “This is a great opportunity for our local towns to participate in a world-class event,” he said.
What have been some of the main achievements or highlights of Visit South Jersey over the past couple of years?
Visit South Jersey is a destination marketing organization, which means that we try to bring visitors and visitor spending into the region. My region includes four counties near Philadelphia. Our goal is to continually intrigue visitors to come into the area and to attract visitation.
In furtherance of this goal, we have expanded our marketing efforts to include regions beyond the mid-Atlantic, like Washington D.C., Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and New York City. We’ve expanded internationally as well, with significant efforts underway in Canada, specifically in Ontario and Quebec. We’ve been attending consumer leisure shows in Montreal and Toronto and have dedicated a part of our digital and print advertising to the Canadian markets.
Canada is our primary international destination due to its proximity. Canadian visitors already have an affinity for the Jersey Shore, so we are trying to add our area to their travel wish list.
How would you describe the South Jersey business environment, and what makes South Jersey an attractive location for tourism and investors?
One reason why the South Jersey region is so attractive to the business community is our proximity to a number of major metropolitan areas on the East Coast. Our highway infrastructure allows for easy transportation opportunities, not only with the 295 corridor crossing through New Jersey but also a number of other interstates, which make it easier for businesses to enter our state. We are observing an increase in businesses in our southern counties. There has also been increased interest by major corporations in warehousing space, accompanied by financial investment in our southern counties, due to our proximity to the interstates, the Philadelphia International Airport, and the Newark International Airport.
The leadership within the four counties I represent is open and inviting to business investments. We have the infrastructure available to grow, along with leadership willing to think outside the box to find better ways of recruiting and bringing in new businesses. We also have an excellent workforce available, which provides a great opportunity for workforce development.
As visitors lean more toward holistic travel experiences, has there been an uptick in the use of the local amenities and attention toward local businesses?
One of our organization’s major priorities is ensuring that our local businesses, communities, and municipalities are engaged and that they are doing everything they can to promote themselves, highlighting their local businesses and using every resource available to drive marketing efforts. A strong tourism community is highly reciprocal. We have to have a strong community base and a strong small-business base that will bring tourism to the region. Tourists coming to our region elicits economic impact. If there’s more economic impact coming into the city, more businesses will come into a municipality and vice versa. That’s why my main philosophy is that tourism is economic development, and economic development is tourism.
Given the increasing popularity of agritourism, what initiatives are in place to promote South Jersey’s wineries and farm-to-table experiences?
The South Jersey region thrives in wine growing because of our soil and location. We have used agritourism, especially when it comes to our wineries and vineyards, as a major focus item for our promotions from a tourism standpoint. There are three or four target items we focus on as a tourism agency, and wineries are the aspect that has made our destination what it is today. There are over 30 wineries in South Jersey alone, and the economic impact of those wineries on small businesses, farmers and growers has been substantial. Along with the notoriety of the excellent products we offer, our unparalleled customer service and vision have really put South Jersey on the tourism map when it comes to agritourism, and this industry continues to grow daily.
What strategies are being implemented to attract visitors from neighboring states and beyond to South Jersey?
We partner closely with the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. They are our main benefactor as far as grants. We are active in participating in any opportunity, whether through events, programs, digital marketing, or otherwise, through the Division of Travel and Tourism. It’s important that this relationship continues to be strong. The more they are aware of our assets and the opportunities we have as a region, the more our message can be shared. This has been our focus over the last few years – forming those relationships, in addition to connections with our state leadership and chambers of commerce, to ensure they are aware of our vision. Fostering those partnerships will be something we will continue throughout the lifetime of the organization. Chambers are the backbone of our small and local business industry, so ensuring we are both aware of each other’s priorities is key to our success. Our organization covers a large part of New Jersey, so we must be vigilant with our time and how much we can spend, but it is important that we maintain those relationships.
In addition to wineries and agritourism, there are a few other areas of focus for Visit South Jersey. Over the next few years, we will focus on a number of large events that are coming to our region. Firstly, we will have the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. New Jersey is home to some of the many historical locations and landmarks of the revolution. Our proximity to New York and Philadelphia will be instrumental in driving a brand new audience into the region.
The most impactful event coming to our region in the near future is the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Our region is in a good place to welcome visitors because of our proximity. There will be two sets of games, and the final set of games will take place in North Jersey. As international visitors arrive for the World Cup, we will be in a key location for hotels and downtown tourism. Visit South Jersey is taking a large role in preparing municipalities for the influx of these visitors. This is a great opportunity for our local towns to participate in a world-class event. It’s important to make sure that the municipalities are prepared to receive the amount and diversity of these international visitors.
Where do you see the greatest challenges and opportunities for South Jersey’s growth right now?
In preparation for the upcoming major events, transportation will be a main focus for the state and our chambers. We need to make sure that our public transportation is available and suitable for the needs of the visitors who will be traveling to Philadelphia. We are also focusing on preparing our municipalities for the unexpected consequences that come along with the sheer number of visitors we expect during the World Cup. It is important that the visitors have a great experience and that they feel welcome and safe so that they will want to return in the future. Our goal is to shine the best light of Visit South Jersey. People are already aware of Philadelphia, Boston, and D.C., and this is our opportunity to share how wonderful South Jersey is.
Looking toward the future, what is your outlook for the overall tourism industry in South Jersey for the next two to three years?
The main events will be a catalyst for long-term benefits in the area. Because of this, we will likely see an increase in the number of hotel rooms. We hope that through these events, we will be able to take advantage of making our area comfortable for diverse populations, especially LGBT, African American, and Hispanic groups. We want to make sure we are welcoming all people and all groups, and we place immense importance on fostering the inclusion and comfort level of all populations.
