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Contact: Tracy Fortmann, Superintendent, 360-816-6205 Contact: Alex Patterson, Facility Manager, 360-816-6221 Contact: Greg Shine, Chief Ranger & Historian, 360-816-6231
VANCOUVER, WA – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 681,404 visitors to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in 2012 spent $36.7 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 559 jobs in the local area. "At Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, with units in Vancouver, Washington, and Oregon City, Oregon, our staff and volunteers proudly welcome visitors from across the country and around the world," said Tracy Fortmann, park superintendent. "We are delighted to share the story of these places and the experiences they provide and to use the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy - returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service - and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities." The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service. The report shows $14.7 billion of direct spending by 283 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 243,000 jobs nationally, with 201,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.75 billion. According to the report most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores (39 percent), hotels, motels and B&Bs (27 percent), and other amusement and recreation (20 percent). To download the report visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm . The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. To learn more about national parks in Washington State and Oregon and how the National Park Service works with Washington and Oregon communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/washington or www.nps.gov/oregon.
BACKGROUND
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, is the heart of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. The Vancouver National Historic Reserve brings together a national park, a premier archaeological site, the region's first military post, an international fur trade emporium, one of the oldest operating airfields, the first national historic site west of the Mississippi River, and a waterfront trail and environmental center on the banks of the Columbia River. The partners of the Reserve teach visitors about the fur trade, early military life, natural history, and pioneers in aviation, all within the context of Vancouver's role in regional and national development. The Reserve's vast array of public programs -- including living history events, cultural demonstrations, exhibits, active archaeology, and other special events and activities -- create a dynamic, fun, and unique tourist destination for people of all ages.
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Last updated: February 28, 2015