Tourism Report

Date: July 21, 2014
Contact: David Elkowitz, 432-477-1108

Big Bend National Park and Fort Davis, Texas—A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 316,952 and 43,277 visitors respectively to Big Bend National Park and Fort Davis National Historic Site in 2013 spent a total of $29 million in the two local park communities. That spending supported a combined 384 jobs in the local area.

"Big Bend National Park and Fort Davis National Historic Site are proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world," said Big Bend National Park superintendent Cindy Ott-Jones. "We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides 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 the U.S. Geological Surveys Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $14.6 billion of direct spending by 273.6 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported more than 237,000 jobs nationally, with more than 197,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion.

According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent), followed by food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.3 percent), and souvenirs and other expenses (10 percent).

The largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs).

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 Texas and how the National Park Service works with Texas communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/Texas.