The National Park Service (NPS) has released new numbers showing that national parks benefit local economies. This includes major park destinations in Utah, which bring in billions of dollars, as well as smaller regional parks and historic sites that still make substantial amounts of money for surrounding communities.
Videos by Outdoors
According to a recent press release, Utah, home to The Mighty Five, benefited from tourism to the tune of $3.1 billion. The state saw a total of 15.8 million visitors to NPS sites. Utah is home to well known parks such as Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef.
“Parks have inspired people for generations and offer unique experiences, for learning, recreation, and renewal,” said Acting Regional Director Brian Carlstrom in a statement. “Visitors come to parks for a variety of experiences and their spending supports the economies of gateway communities.”
National Parks Benefit Local Economies
The complete report, titled “The 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects,” found that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near national parks. That’s benefiting places like Estes Park, Colo., outside Rocky Mountain National Park, and Bar Harbor, Maine, near Acadia.
The money goes to local businesses and supports the local economy by creating jobs. In the report, the NPS says these destinations supported 340,000 jobs. This includes work in the service industry, such as restaurants, lodging, and transportation. It also includes outdoor recreation businesses.
Larger destination national parks like Joshua Tree saw the biggest impacts. Tourism in the area benefited the local economy by $214 million.
“People come to Joshua Tree National Park to recreate and enjoy being in nature, to learn about the history of the area, and perhaps even see a tortoise. While visiting, they also end up supporting the US and local economies during their visits,” said Superintendent Jane Rodgers in their press release. “We’re proud to be such an important part of the local economy and simply could not do what we do without the awesome support of our gateway communities and park partners.”
It doesn’t need to be a major destination to feel the benefits either. Just a few hours west of the California desert, the Channel Islands also had an economic impact of just under $25 million. Other NPS properties, like historic sites, also saw the benefits. Tourism to Fort McHenry in Baltimore helped the local economy with a $38.6 million boost.
