NEW BRUNSWICK,
N.J. – Tens of thousands of annual visitors to Rutgers will be able to learn
more about New Jersey’s

many vacation spots and entertainment options under a
new partnership between the university and the New Jersey Division of Travel
and Tourism.

The university’s
popular visitor center – which welcomed more than 63,000 people this past year
– has officially been designated a New Jersey Visitor Information Center,
Rutgers and state tourism officials announced today. It is the only university
visitor center in the state, and one of only a handful across the nation, to
achieve this distinction.

Under a memorandum
of understanding between the two, the Rutgers Visitor Center will be featured in the Official New Jersey Travel Guide as
well as other state publications and websites. In return, the visitor center
will display and distribute state brochures and additional travel and tourism
publications.

Also under
this partnership:

• The Rutgers Visitor Center’s website will be
  linked to the state tourism website.
  

•  The state will provide the visitor center with
  videos showcasing New Jersey attractions.
• The state will train the university’s Scarlet
  Ambassadors to provide travel and tourism information to Rutgers visitors.
  Scarlet Ambassadors are Rutgers students whose duties include staffing the
  visitor center and leading campus tours for prospective students and their parents.
  

"Research has shown that 54 percent of
travelers who use the services of visitor information centers either extend
their stay or visit more places within the state, and 87 percent of them spend
additional dollars in New Jersey due to the information they receive at the
centers,” said Grace Hanlon, executive director of the state’s Division of
Travel and Tourism. “Promoting New Jersey through our visitor information centers
is vital to our state’s economy.”

"The Rutgers Visitor Center’s designation as
an official New Jersey Visitor Information Center is a natural fit for the
State University of New Jersey” said Barbara Loftus, manager of the Rutgers
Visitor Center.  “Our guests will not
only have the opportunity to learn about everything Rutgers has to offer, but
also about the many attractions and destinations throughout the state.”

Travel and tourism is a key contributor to
the overall economy in New Jersey – to the tune of $35.5 billion in visitor
expenditures. It is an industry that employs nearly 310,000 individuals and
provides $2.4 billion in spending tax revenues. “Visitor centers provide a
variety of services to travel consumers including driving directions, travel
options and sightseeing opportunities,” Hanlon said. “Very often these centers
are the first point of contact for the millions of visitors who pass through
our state every year. Last year, nearly 5 million travelers took advantage of
our visitor center facilities located throughout the state.”

The Rutgers Visitor Center, which opened in
2009, is the gateway to the university’s flagship campus and is easily
accessible within the campus as well as the surrounding area. The 12,000-square-foot
facility, located near High Point Solutions Stadium on the university’s Busch
Campus in Piscataway, is the official first stop for prospective students and
their families.

Just off Route 18 with
connections to the region’s major highways, the facility houses interactive
multi-media displays on the university’s history, academics, campuses and
student life.  When not hosting
undergraduate admissions tours, the facility welcomes a wide range of events for
university departments and outside organizations.

 Established in
1766, Rutgers is the eighth oldest institution of higher learning in the United
States and one of the nation’s premier public research universities. Rutgers is
one of only two New Jersey institutions represented in the prestigious
Association of American Universities. Additional
information about the Rutgers Visitor Center can be found at www.visitorcenter.rutgers.edu. Check out www.visitnj.org and search through the state
tourism site for a full calendar of events, find valuable travel deals,
festivals and happenings around the Garden State.