CAPE MAY, N.J. - Cape May County, at the southern tip of New Jersey, has put out the welcome mat for Quebecers for decades.

"Many in the Quebec market are very, very loyal to us," says Diane Wieland, Cape May's director of tourism. "They come for the warm ocean beaches."

The county has carried out various marketing efforts in the province - it opened an office in Montreal 40 years ago - but lately "we've really stepped it up," says Wieland.

She cites, for example, a "Passport to Savings" coupon booklet that has been translated into French, offering discounts at hotels, restaurants and retail locations.

The idea for the promotion came a year ago when Quebecers told Cape May tourism officials at a Montreal trade show that the new requirement to show a Canadian passport on entry to the U.S. would deter some of them from coming. The officials came up with the coupon plan as a way to help offset the cost of a passport.

Quebec is the fourth most important market for tourism in the county, after the rest of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York State, says Wieland.

"As an example of the influence that French-Canadian visitors had on our area, as motels were being built we had one called Quebec Hotel, also the Royal Canadian and the Fleur de Lis."

CAA offices in Montreal will distribute the booklet, which will also be offered at the state tourism office on Garden State Parkway at the entrance to the county, Wieland says. It will also be available online later this month at www.thejerseycape.com and www.njsouthernshore.com.