Six trade shows, meetings and competitions at the Atlantic City Convention Center drew 42,711 delegates, a 6% jump in the number of delegates who attended last January's six events. Room nights used by those delegates rose to 11,021, a 2% increase over last year.
The number of conventions and meetings at individual properties that were arranged through the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) division of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority increased slightly in January 2014 over the same month last year, with 6 conventions drawing 16,049 attendees who used 3,504 room nights, as opposed to five events in January 2013, drawing 7,240 attendees and using 2,252 room nights. All told, there were 9% more conventions booked through the ACCVA division, which attracted 23% more attendees who used 11% more room nights than in January 2013. These eventsgenerated approximately $23.8 million in delegate spending, a 5% increase. This continues an upward trend that has remained consistent since September.
Statistics for meetings and conventions at individual properties that are not booked through the ACCVA Division are not tracked.
Also continuing an upward trend, many visitors and potential visitors received their information about Atlantic City on the mobile site, mobile.accva.org. The site registered 144,830 users in January 2014, a 163% increase over the same month last year. The Atlantic City tourism Facebook page also saw a large increase last month, with 3,311 "Likes", a 104% increase over January 2013. To date, the Facebook page has registered nearly 442,000 "Likes."
In addition, the www.doatlanticcity.com Website had nearly 175,000 unique visitors last month, and 69% of them were new visitors. The consistently high number of new Website visitors continues the trend of new or revived interest in Atlantic City as a vacation or getaway destination.
More than 6,000 visitors stopped at the information centers on the Atlantic City Expressway and on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Another 453 people called the visitor counselors for information, and more than 2,100 sent inquiries by mail. While these numbers are down from January 2013's statistics, experts contend that this January's weather patterns caused many visitors to cancel or postpone their trips.
Spectrum Gaming Group provides the following additional independent insight to factors impacting January's business climate:
The following factors may have impacted drive-in visitation and tourism metrics related to Atlantic City in January 2014 (and on a year-over-year basis, unless otherwise noted):
- On a year-over-year calendar day basis, January 2014 had 13 weekend days (i.e., Friday through Sunday) compared to 12 weekend days in January last year (i.e., there was one more Friday this year, but one less Tuesday than last year).
- January 2014 was much colder and snowier compared to January last year - according to the National Weather Service (from the Atlantic City station):
- The average daily temperature this year was only 27.8 degrees (Fahrenheit) compared to 35.1 degrees last year;
- There were 12 days this year where the high temperature did not go above freezing (32 degrees) compared to only 5 such days last year;
- Total snowfall was 18.8 inches this year (over 7 days) compared to only 2.6 inches last year (over 3 days);
- There were 4 days with significant rainfall (excluding days with snow) in January of both years;
- Significant precipitation (either snowfall or rainfall) impacted three of the four weekends (on 4 of the 13 weekend days) this year compared to only two of the four weekends last year (and on 2 of the 12 weekend days).
- According to the US Energy Information Administration, the average price for a gallon of gas in the region for January 2014 was 2 cents less compared to January 2013 ($3.58 vs. $3.60 per gallon). However, the average gas price in January 2014 was higher than the three prior months (and up 2 cents from the December 2013 average price per gallon).
- The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel permanently ceased operations on Monday, January 13, 2014, reducing the number of casino hotels in Atlantic City to 11.
- January 2014 marked the second full month of internet gaming in New Jersey (available to adults within New Jersey and offered through Atlantic City casinos).
The figures quoted above and others are available in the monthly Tourism Barometer, available online athttp://www.doatlanticcity.com/about/stats.aspx.
