Beach Revenue Is Down at New Jersey Shore Due to Hurricane Sandy

Still feeling the pain.

Image courtesy of Julio Cortez, AP

It's been about nine months since Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast, and the New Jersey shore is still feeling the impact. The superstorm is hitting each shore town where it hurts—their pockets. According to the Associated Press, the number of beachgoers has dropped this season, meaning the amount of revenue generated has decreased as well. All eight shore towns responded to an AP survey, which revealed a decline in attendance and money through July's third weekend. Worse, they all agreed that splendid weather for the rest of the season wouldn't help them recover from the slow start.

That slow start can be credited to the beach opening late this year, because the students who typically make up the lifeguard staff had to make up school days missed due to Sandy. According to beach department manager Wally Wal, that means 5,000 less beach badges being sold. That amounts to a loss of about $40,000. 

Revenue has also dropped because people aren't vacationing at the Jersey shore this summer. November is usually when people start eyeing simmer rentals, and that's around the time that Sandy hit. Avon Realty's Bob McDevitt told the AP: "People who normally have rented here in the past didn't know what to expect."

Hopefully, things pick up.

[via Philadelphia Inquirer]

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