Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Translates to Visitors, Money, and Jobs

Date: February 28, 2012
Contact: Mark Woods, Superintendent, [phone]

CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK (KY,TN,VA). - A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that approximately 1 million visitors in 2010 spent $45.8 million during visits to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in communities in the tri-state area.

"Businesses and people in communities around national parks have always recognized their vital role to the local economy," said park superintendent Mark Woods. "Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is an integral part of the community and definitely an economic asset to the tri state area of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia."

Most of the spending/jobs in and around the national parks are related to lodging, food, and beverage service (52 percent) followed by other retail (29 percent), entertainment/amusements (10 percent), gas and local transportation (7 percent) and groceries (2 percent).

The figures are based on $12 billion of direct spending by 281 million visitors in 394 national parks and nearby communities and are included in an annual, peer-reviewed, visitor spending analysis conducted by Dr. Daniel Stynes of Michigan State University for the National Park Service.

Across the U.S, local visitor spending added a total of $31 billion to the national economy and supported more than 258,000 jobs, an increase of $689 million and 11,500 jobs over 2009.

To download the report visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation and Payroll, 2010.

The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.

For more on how the NPS is working within the tri state area go to following sites:

Kentucky: www.nps.gov/kentucky,
Tennessee: www.nps.gov/tennessee,
Virginia: www.nps.gov/virginia.