A new report from the National Park Service has revealed that Yellowstone National Park saw 3.3 million visitors in 2022, who collectively spent $452 million in communities near the park. This spending had a significant impact on the local economy, supporting 6,234 jobs and contributing a total of $600 million. National Park Service Director Chuck Sams praised the role of tourism in national parks, stating that it brings jobs and revenue to communities across the country.
The report, which was conducted by economists at the NPS, showed that nearly 312 million park visitors nationwide spent a total of $23.9 billion in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending resulted in the creation of 378,400 jobs, with 314,600 of those jobs located in gateway communities. Overall, the report estimated that the cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $50.3 billion.
In terms of specific sectors, the lodging industry had the most significant impact with $9 billion in economic output nationally. The restaurant sector followed closely behind, contributing $4.6 billion to the economy. The report also included an interactive tool that allows users to explore visitor spending and its effects on jobs, income, and output in national, state, and local economies. This valuable resource provides year-by-year trend data and can be accessed through the NPS Social Science Program web page.