National Park Tourism in New York State Creates $742.7 Million in Economic Benefit
New report shows visitor spending supports 7,289 jobs in New York State
PHILADELPHIA, PA – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 16,328,214 visitors to national parks in New York State spent $606.7 million in the state in 2015. That spending resulted in 7,289 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of $742.7 million.
“The national parks of New York State attract visitors from across the country and around the world,” said National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Mike Caldwell. “Whether they are out for an afternoon, a school field trip, or a month-long family vacation, visitors come to have a great experience, and end up spending a little money along the way. This new report shows that national park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy – returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service – and a big factor in our state’s economy as well, a result we can all support.”
The national parks in New York include: African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Federal Hall National Memorial, Fire Island National Seashore, Fort Stanwix National Monument, Gateway National Recreation Area, General Grant National Memorial, Governors Island National Monument, Hamilton Grange National Memorial, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site, Saratoga National Historical Park, Statue Of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Upper Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Women’s Rights National Historical Park.
The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $16.9 billion of direct spending by 307.2 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 295,000 jobs nationally; 252,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $32 billion.
According to the 2015 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (31.1 percent) followed by food and beverages (20.2 percent), gas and oil (11.8 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (9.8 percent).
Report authors this year produced an interactive tool. Users can explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: go.nps.gov/vse.
The report includes information for visitor spending by park and by state.
To learn more about national parks in New York State and how the National Park Service works with New York communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/ny .
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 411 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
