Maybe we take the Jersey Shore for granted. You wouldn't believe where some people come from, just to experience New Jersey during the summer.

Jersey Shore crowds
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Whether the trips are an annual occurrence or the product of a unique attraction, New Jersey's fun and sun are bringing in visitors from throughout the country and across the world.

New figures show that Seaside Heights' recent Gentlemen of the Road music festival on the beach, featuring Mumford & Sons, attracted visitors from nearly a dozen countries, including Australia, Chile, Qatar and Germany. Domestic fans came from nearly every U.S. state, minus Kansas, Mississippi, Montana and Wyoming.

"These are people that most likely would not have come to Seaside in their lifetime, and now they've come here, they saw an event that was spectacular, that was well-managed," said Dana Lancellotti, director of business development and tourism for Ocean County.

The northern shore points in Ocean County have seen an overall uptick in the number of visitors from Massachusetts, and website analytics prove the increased interest. In the Long Beach Island region, officials are seeing more folks from Baltimore and West Virginia.

"We're happy to see that it's extending out beyond just the Delaware area," Lancellotti said.

For decades, the Quebec market has been a huge customer for Cape May County, representing 9 percent of the visitor base. But recently, the county has made a serious effort to extend its welcome to residents of Toronto. Travel from the region has become much easier thanks to air travel into Atlantic City.

Diane Wieland, director of tourism for Cape May County, said her area also hosts "a large number of visitors" each year from the United Kingdom, specifically for birding.

"They spend two to three weeks in the area," Wieland said. "They travel all around. Cape May is one of the top three birding hotspots in North America."

The shore is in the heart of the Atlantic Flyway.

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