Officials To Tell New Yorkers The Shore Is Ready [AUDIO]

When people think Jersey Shore, they think either reality show or storm-battered boardwalks and ocean-submerged roller coasters.

This weekend, leaders of New Jersey's shore tourism industry are hoping to dispel these images by letting the planet know the Jersey Shore is open for business and ready to host visitors now. They're taking this message to the three-day New York Times Travel Show at the Jacob Javits Center starting this Friday and they're kicking the weekend off with a Media Day.

Lori Pepenella, Destination Marketing Director for the Long Beach Island Region, says, "We want to make sure that visitors coming through the show have access to the most recent up to date information and that they're welcome and that we're ready to host them now and into the summer."

She says Destination Marketing Organizations that represent Monmouth and Ocean Counties have partnered with the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau (JSCVB) for the event. "I think moving forward it just makes sense to really speak in one voice that we're here and that here to serve and that we're looking forward to the summer and we welcome all visitors."

Pepenella says they're bringing their message to the show in New York because the Jersey shore has a dedicated North Jersey and Metropolitan New York area audience. She says they'd also like to bring the message that they're open for business to their audiences in Pennsylvania and other target markets.

Pepenella says the storm news coverage has a lot to do with the misconception.

"National media, they're talking to people that are telling individual stories but not the whole story. Long Beach Island is open. The Jersey Shore's CVB represents businesses that are open and areas that are open."

According to a press release, the Jersey Shore Media Day will include topics about businesses that are open, the progress of the rebuilding on the Jersey Shore and a summer 2013 update. It runs on Friday, January 18th from 3 to 6 p.m.