New Jersey tourism up for 7th year; $44B spent in 2016

The state's tourism industry generated $44.1 billion in spending in 2016, an increase of nearly 3 percent over the previous year, and 98 million people visited New Jersey last year, an increase of 3 percent, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno said at a tourism conference Thursday in Atlantic City.

Guadagno, who is seeking the Republican nomination to succeed Chris Christie as governor, recounted various tourism activities in which she participated over the last year, including trips to beaches, mountains, farms and wineries.

Christie has said the takeover was necessary to tame the city's finances and whittle down nearly a half-billion dollars' worth of debt because city officials were unable or unwilling to do so.