Tourism to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area supports 3,419 local jobs, a new federal report shows, indicating a 40 percent increase since 2015. Spending in local communities by park visitors also increased 40 percent last year to exceed $240 million.
“More people than ever are learning just how incredible this part of the country is, and we’re proud to see the park’s visitors having a positive impact in the community,” said William Shott, superintendent of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. “We work hard to be good stewards of this 1.25 million-acre natural treasure, and that means being good neighbors to our communities as well.”
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Glen Canyon and Rainbow Bridge drew 3.3 million visitors in 2016, up 29 percent over 2015. Those visitors drove a 42 percent increase in economic output to $278.2 million, an estimate of the value of the production of goods and services supported by visitor spending. The data were reported Wednesday in a peer-reviewed analysis conducted by economists at the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey.
National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy as well, returning more than $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service. In 2016, national parks across the country drew 331 million visitors, who spent $18.4 billion in communities within 60 miles of a national park they visited. That spending supported 318,150 jobs and resulted in a $34.9 billion cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy.
The greatest proportion of visitor spending went toward lodging (31.2 percent), followed by food and beverages (27.2 percent), gas and oil (11.7 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent), souvenirs and other expenses (9.7 percent), local transportation (7.4 percent), and camping fees (2.5 percent).
Source: NPS