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Contact: Jonathan Parker, 978-210-4245 Tourism to National Historic Sites in Salem and Saugus Create $41 Million in Local Economic Benefit SALEM, M.A. – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 767,649 visitors to Salem Maritime and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in 2012 spent $41.3 million in communities near the park. This visitor spending supported 559 jobs in the local area during the same period.“Salem Maritime and Saugus Iron Works are proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world,” said superintendent Michael Quijano-West “We are delighted to share the story of these places and to use the parks as a way to introduce our visitors to Massachusetts 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 the North Shore 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.” “You can’t overestimate the importance of the National Park Service’s presence in Salem and on the North Shore and these numbers are proof of that,” said Rinus Oosthoek, executive director of the Salem Chamber of Commerce. “These economic impact numbers show that our local national parks not only preserve and promote our national heritage, but that they are an economic force in the region as well.” 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). The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. To download the report visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm To learn more about national parks in Massachusetts and how the National Park Service works with Massachuestts communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/massachusetts.
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Last updated: February 26, 2015