South Jersey is building on strong momentum as we head into a major tourism season. We have been working to assist partners, collaborate on regional initiatives, and prepare for increased tourism opportunities tied to large-scale events.
Here, we share updates on 2026 event preparations, funding opportunities, advocacy efforts and invite you to participate in strengthening the region’s tourism industry.
Welcome World Rewards Program: Resources for South Jersey Partners
Register your business to participate in the Welcome World Rewards Program! This is a great way to participate in the action within your daily scope. Visit South Jersey is sharing resources from a recent webinar to help attractions, tourism partners, organizations, and businesses prepare for opportunities connected to FIFA World Cup 26™. The program is designed to help local businesses engage visitors, strengthen promotions, and take part in the regional momentum leading into 2026.
Partners are encouraged to review and share the available materials with businesses, downtown groups, associations, event organizers, and others who may benefit. Resources include a local business enrollment form, downloadable presentation slides, a webinar recording, access passcode, and a QR code for outreach and promotion.
Available Resources
New Jersey Cooperative Marketing Grant Information for South Jersey Partners
The New Jersey Cooperative Marketing Grant FY27 is open now! This funding opportunity through the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism supports marketing programs promoting tourism opportunities across the state. For South Jersey attractions, organizations, and tourism partners, this grant may help support advertising, promotions, and other destination marketing efforts.
Applications must be submitted through SAGE, and paper applications are not accepted. Before applying, organizations must first complete a Declaration of Intent (DOI). Once approved, applicants can access the full application. The program also requires a 25% non-state funding match, which cannot be in-kind, cash on hand, or bartered services.
FY27 Timeline
- March 6, 2026 — DOI available in SAGE
- March 9, 2026 — Application opens for approved DOI submissions
- June 8, 2026, 3:30 p.m. EST — DOI deadline
- June 12, 2026, 3:30 p.m. EST — Application deadline
Visit South Jersey encourages eligible partners to review the process early, especially if they are new to SAGE or planning collaborative marketing efforts. Additional applicant resources, including the program handbook, DOI instructions, and quick reference guide, are available through VisitNJ.
Suggested Resource Links
South Jersey 250 Has Launched
Visit South Jersey is proud to announce the launch of SouthJersey250.com, a new regional website created to help residents and visitors discover and celebrate South Jersey’s role in America’s 250th anniversary.
The site serves as a hub for events, historic sites, educational programs, heritage experiences, and community activities taking place across the region. It is designed to bring together local efforts in one place and help tell South Jersey’s story during this important milestone.
Attractions, historical organizations, museums, arts and cultural groups, municipalities, schools, libraries, nonprofits, and event organizers are invited to submit and share their 250-related events, exhibits, and programs for inclusion on the site.
By building a shared regional calendar and resource, South Jersey can present a stronger and more connected story to residents, visitors, media, and partners.
Together, we can make South Jersey’s 250th anniversary efforts more visible and impactful across the region.
Join us at NJTIA Advocacy Day on May 7
You are invited to join us on Thursday, May 7, 2026, for the annual NJTIA Advocacy Day at the War Memorial in Trenton. This cornerstone event is dedicated to championing policies that support and grow New Jersey’s tourism industry. It provides a vital platform for representatives from destination marketing organizations, businesses, and non-profits to stay up to date on policies that impact your daily operations.
During the event, you can anticipate the announcement of official 2025 tourism data, hear legislative updates, and connect with group leaders with a common goal. Following our recent success with Bill A6124, which secured minimum funding levels for arts, history, and tourism through a “Poison Pill” safeguard, we continue to unite our voices to ensure tourism remains a powerful driver of economic growth. Register now to help shape the future of our industry.
Spring Momentum: Events and Regional Wins
South Jersey continues to see exciting growth and high-engagement events. We are fresh off the Philadelphia Flower Show, where Visit South Jersey acted as your direct sales team, putting regional brochures in front of thousands of potential travelers.
Recent Highlights:
- Milestone: Congratulations to the Edelman Fossil Museum on its one-year anniversary! Within its first year, the park was named one of USA TODAY’s Best New Museums. Featuring indoor exhibits, fossil digs in a quarry filled with Cretaceous-era marine life, a nature trail, and a themed playground, it is a South Jersey gem already!
- Down & Derby Wine Festival: Tickets are on sale now for our 6th annual festival at Cooper River Park, Saturday May 2nd. Invite your friends and enjoy a day along the water with award winning NJ wine, live entertainment, food trucks and more! Get your tickets here.
- Local Wins: We are thrilled to welcome a new dual brand hotel located in Burlington County! We extend a warm welcome to Tru by Hilton and Home2 Suites Burlington Township. We wish you great success and look forward to watching you thrive.
- Applause: Congratulations to the team at Titan Hotel Group, Courtyard Marriott – Deptford on a truly grand re-opening celebration! “Courtyard In Full Bloom” was a great example of local business collaboration on display!
- Ground Breaking: Camden County Commissioners celebrated the groundbreaking of 2 the 34-mile Camden County LINK Trail on March 6th, 2026, starting with the one mile path connecting Audubon to Haddon Heights. We look forward to watching this project develop and link more of our community assets.
Additional developments across downtowns, from craft breweries and community spaces to parks, wineries and pop ups- you continue to strengthen the region’s tourism economy. We welcome submissions from you to help us highlight future wins and milestones. Email your news and updates to [email protected]
Preparing for International Visitors
On our Calendar:
Join us for one of these upcoming events:
May 2, 2026 – Down & Derby Wine Festival
May 7, 2026 – NJTIA Advocacy Day
May 8-9, 2026 – Dad Vail Regatta
June 6, 2026 – Island Jam 10
June 25-27, 2026 – SoccerFest26 at the Camden Waterfront
Partner Toolkit:
Stay ahead of the game with these links and resources:
- Welcome World Rewards Program
- New Jersey Cooperative Marketing Grant
- NJTIA Advocacy Day
- South Jersey 250 Event Submission Form
- Down & Derby Wine Festival Tickets
- Submit an Upcoming Event
- Add your location to the Visit South Jersey Directory
We are here to help you make 2026 your most successful year yet. Let’s make history together!
Kickstarting a Historic 2026
While January is wrapping up, we want to invite you for a look “behind the scene” at Visit South Jersey. We’re here to be your partner and an asset as we navigate what is shaping up to be a monumental year for our region.
In this edition, we’re sharing a sneak peek at 2026 travel projections, providing an update on legislative movements impacting our industry, and giving you the tools you need to gear up for Revolution 250 and the FIFA World Cup 26™.
By the Numbers: The 2026 Rebound
By the Numbers: The 2026 Rebound
While 2025 presented hurdles such as 3% inflation and “cautious” business spending, Visit South Jersey is tracking a significant shift toward a positive outlook for 2026-2027. Data from Tourism Economics indicates that domestic air travel grew by 1.8%. Looking ahead, 2026 is projected to see a significant rebound, driven by the FIFA World Cup™ and the 250th Celebration.
Key insights for your planning:
- Travel sentiment remains high: Consumers are prioritizing “experiences over goods,” a trend echoed by major industry players like Marriott.
- Economic Tailwinds: Real wage growth and lower household debt are expected to boost domestic spending.
- International Draw: The World Cup alone is expected to contribute an incremental 1.1% boost to international arrivals on top of a 2.6% baseline growth this year adding upwards of 1 mission inbound international flights each in NY and Philadelphia.
Advocacy update: Victory for Tourism Funding
A core function of Visit South Jersey is constant advocacy; we keep a close eye on legislation so you can focus on your daily operations. We’re happy to share that on January 20, 2026, Bill A6124 was signed by Governor Murphy. This legislation restructures hotel tax revenue and mandates minimum funding levels for arts, history, and tourism starting in fiscal year 2027. Most importantly, it includes a “Poison Pill”—a regulatory safeguard that suspends tax collection if the state fails to meet these funding requirements.
Advocacy efforts focused on working with legislators to ensure these revenues are used transparently for our industry’s growth.
Together we are committed to protecting destinations and businesses within the tourism industry as a whole. The work that you do is important. We’ll keep you apprised of movement in any legislation that has the potential to impact the visitor experience and the work you do to ensure South Jersey is a great place to be!
South Jersey on the World Stage:
Fifa World Cup 26
From June 13th through the Final on July 19th, South Jersey will be at the heart of the soccer world. During that time, we are expecting an increase of more than two million travelers into our area airports. This offers South Jersey a prime opportunity to attract soccer fans looking for convenient and affordable accommodations and experiences close to the action. Visit South Jersey is working with host partners on a program to connect visitors directly with local hotels, inns, and bed–and–breakfasts. In addition, a comprehensive digital marketing campaign highlighting South Jersey’s proximity to major venues, its affordability, and its unique appeal positions the region as a prime destination for those interested in attending the games and surrounding events.
Wondering how you can get in on the action?
Take a look at a few of the ideas shared here. This resource includes a handful of ways that area businesses and attractions can boost visibility, welcome travelers and build excitement for those looking to participate in our local offerings.
During your planning, keep in mind that there are two host committees that have information and operations to share regarding World Cup games that will impact our region: FIFA NY/NJ and FIFA Philadelphia.
Each of these host committees has a set of game dates, a schedule of fan activation events such as the Skyline to Shoreline Road Tour, not to mention guidelines for your own event promotions and permissions. Use our toolkit links to find official branding and public viewing guidelines to ensure your events are compliant.
We encourage you to share your World Cup-themed events or specials with us so we can include them in our regional marketing.
Celebrating the Semiquincentennial:
South Jersey 25o
Our nation’s 250th anniversary is more than a date; it’s a multi-year opportunity to capture global interest. From National campaigns such as America250 to New Jersey based RevNJ, historical entities are planning visitor engagements that will remain active through 2032 and beyond. Capturing pivotal stories and highlighting the historically relevant destinations, dates and events in our South Jersey region is paramount. Visit South Jersey’s role is to amplify these stories.
We have launched the South Jersey 250 hub, a dedicated digital platform designed to help local, regional, and international visitors find historic sites, revolutionary recreations, and “edu-tainment” for all ages. This comprehensive listing will guide visitors to find events, experience historical destinations, participate in revolutionary recreations, and engage in programming available in our unique corner of the country. This milestone is about more than just museums; it’s a platform to leverage global interest for visitor engagement in our local communities. Whether you are a historical society or a small business with a revolutionary story, we want to hear from you.
Please use our online form to submit your events and locations to the hub.
On our Calendar: Travel Shows and Down & Derby
We are creating hype for South Jersey as a premier destination at several major showcases:
- DC & NY Travel Shows: Late January
- Chicago & Toronto Travel Shows: Feb 21-22
- Philadelphia Flower Show: Feb 27–March 8
At these events, we act as your direct sales team, putting your brochures and stories in front of thousands of potential travelers.
Down & Derby Wine Festival:
We are currently planning our 6th annual festival at Cooper River Park. Together with Camden County, this event transforms the area into a “Derby Delight” featuring NJ wines, food and craft vendors as well as live entertainment.
We are looking for sponsors and vendors right now. If you want to get your brand in front of a high-engagement local crowd, email [email protected] to secure your spot before general tickets go on sale.
Partner Toolkit
Stay ahead of the game with these links and resources:
- Visit South Jersey Community Activation Guide
- FIFA Public Viewing Regulations
- FIFA NYNJ Community Events Toolkit
- South Jersey 250 Event Submission Form
- Submit an Upcoming Event
- Add your location to the Visit South Jersey Directory
We are here to help you make 2026 your most successful year yet. Let’s make history together!