$2.2 Billion In Tourist Spending In Morris County Last Year

MORRIS COUNTY — Tourists spent $2.2 billion dollars on food, entertainment, and other hospitality related expenses in Morris County in 2017, the Morris County Tourism Bureau said.

Tourism spending grew by 2.7 percent from 2016, and has grown 21 percent in the past five years. Spending pumped the equivalent of $1,318 in state and local taxes contributed for every household in Morris County into the local economy.

“The importance of tourism cannot be overstated; this news is encouraging and confirms that our efforts to promote Morris County as a destination are working," Leslie Bensley, Executive Director of the bureau said. "All of our 270 members contribute to the bottom line which helps keep Morris County a terrific place to live and visit. I am particularly pleased to see how much our taxes are offset by a thriving tourism economy.”

The tourism industry is also a major source of jobs in the county. 30,488 county residents work in the tourism industry (including local transportation, recreation, lodging, retail and food and beverage). It's the seventh largest industry in the county.

You can see a break-down in visitor spending in the chart provided by the Tourism Bureau:

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