National parks bring in money

USA Facts - While a camping trip can be an opportunity to unplug, national park visitors don’t just take in the scenery — they spend money, and that spending flows into the towns and counties near each park. In 2024, 332 million visitors spent a record high in those nearby communities, supporting jobs and local businesses beyond the park gates.

 Adjusted for inflation, 2024’s $29.0 billion was the highest visitor spending total in more than a decade of data, surpassing the previous high of $27.2 billion in 2023.

 Visitors spent the most at/around Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024: $2.0 billion. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area garnered the second-most spending, $1.7 billion, and Blue Ridge Parkway garnered $1.5 billion. Spending at the rest of the top 10 ranged from $612.0 million to $905.3 million. 

Lodging was the largest visitor expense, accounting for 38.3% ($11.1 billion) of 2024 spending. Restaurants were next, at an estimated $5.7 billion. Spending on gas, recreation, transportation, and retail each drew $2.2 billion to $2.6 billion. Groceries generated $1.9 billion and camping generated $610 million.

National park visitor spending helped sustain 340,100 jobs and $18.8 billion in wages, with California accounting for the most jobs (35,683) and North Carolina second (25,824). About 60% of those jobs were for businesses that serve visitors directly. The remaining 40% were secondary effect jobs created by the local economy. For example, a local tour guide (a direct job) spends money at a nearby restaurant, helping sustain a waitstaff position (a secondary effect job