National Park Visitor Spending Hits Record High at $24 Billion
A new report from the US National Park Service shows outdoor travelers are spending more than ever in gateway communities surrounding national parks.
Local and outside visitors are spending big as part of their national park visits, a new report shows.
Photographer: SOPA Images/LightRocketThe appeal of the great outdoors is enduring. In February, the National Park Service reported that visitation to the country’s forests, monuments, historical sites and other parks reached 312 million visitors in 2022, about 5% shy of the pre-pandemic 327 million. Now, a new report shows those visitors spent a record $24 billion in gateway communities located within 60 miles of these protected areas as part of their trip.
The report from NPS economists, published on Aug. 21, says the most recent spending figure represents a 16% increase over 2021 when travelers injected $21 billion in the areas closest to national park entrances. It also surpasses the $21 million they spent in 2019.