Carlsbad Caverns National Park Tourism Creates $20,000,000 in Local Economic Benefit

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Date: February 27, 2013

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Tourism Creates $20,000,000 in Local Economic Benefit Part of $30 billion impact that supports 252,000 jobs nationwide 

Carlsbad, New Mexico– A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 365,000 visitors to Carlsbad Caverns National Park spent $20,000,000 in communities surrounding the park. This spending supported 296 jobs in the local area.

"Carlsbad Caverns is a fascinating natural wonder and an amazing place to learn about our natural world," said park superintendent, John Benjamin. "Visitors from all over the world come to experience this World Heritage Park and in doing so they spend quality time here getting to know the local communities and investing in them. We are proud that the American people have entrusted the National Park Service with the care of America's most awe-inspiring and beautiful places and we are thrilled that while they are here they make significant contributions to the local, state and national economies."

The information on Carlsbad Caverns National Park is part of a peer-reviewed spending analysis of national park visitors across the country conducted by Michigan State University for the National Park Service. For 2011, that report shows $13 billion of direct spending by 279 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. That visitor spending had a $30 billion impact on the entire U.S. economy and supported 252,000 jobs nationwide. Most visitor spending supports jobs in lodging, food, and beverage service (63 percent) followed by recreation and entertainment (17 percent), other retail (11percent), transportation and fuel (7 percent) and wholesale and manufacturing (2 percent.)

To download the report visit www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation, 2011. The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. To learn more about national parks in New Mexico and how the National Park Service works with communities to preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide local recreation opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/newmexico.                                   

- www.NPS.gov-



Last updated: February 24, 2015

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