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Contact: Jim Richardson, Superintendent, 671-477-7278 Ext.1003
Hagatna, Guam – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 255,923 visitors to War in the Pacific National Historical Park in 2012 spent $13.771 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 176 jobs in the local area. "War in the Pacific National Historical Park is proud to welcome visitors from around the world, the US mainland, and of course locally on Guam," said superintendent Jim Richardson. "We are delighted to share the story of the battle for Guam and the entire Pacific Theater in World War II, as we preserve the natural and historic resources of the park. 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." "In addition to War in the Pacific's contribution to the economy, American Memorial Park on Saipan which is a NPS affiliated area contributes significantly to the Saipan economy, but is not reflected in this study." The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullianane 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 War in the Pacific National Historical Park visit www.nps.gov/wapa or to learn about American Memorial Park visit www.nps.gov/amme. To learn more about parks in Guam and how the National Park Service works with Guam communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/guam. About the National Park Service. National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. – NPS –
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Last updated: March 1, 2015