Report Finds 2018 Spending Supported 329,000 jobs in Hotels, Restaurants, Transportation, Recreation
US National Parks System News Release Date: May 23, 2019 Contact: NewsMedia@nps.gov Report Finds 2018 Spending Supported 329,000 jobs in Hotels, Restaurants, Transportation, Recreation WASHINGTON – As the summer vacation and travel seasons opens, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced today that visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2018 resulted in a $40.1 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 329,000 jobs. According to the annual National Park Service report, 2018 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, more than 318 million visitors spent $20.2 billion in communities within 60 miles of a park in the National Park System. Of the 329,000 jobs supported by visitor spending, more than 268,000 jobs exist in the park gateway communities. “This report emphasizes the tremendous impact the national parks have on our nation’s economy and underscores the need to fulfill President Trump's plan to rebuild park infrastructure,