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Contact: Dani Cessna, 570-460-4015
BUSHKILL, PENNSYLVANIA – A new National Park Service report shows that 4.1 million visitors to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in 2024 spent $164 million in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $211 million.
“People come to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to hike, paddle, hunt and fish, enjoy nature, and learn about the history of the river valley. Along the way, they end up supporting the US and local economies,” said Acting Superintendent Eamon Leighty. “It’s truly rewarding to provide visitors opportunities to experience some wonderful and unique resources, while also generating $211 million in revenue for our local communities.
The National Park Service report, 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near national parks. This spending provided $18.8 billion in labor income and $56.3 in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $11.1 billion in economic output. Restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.7 billion in economic output.
An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website.
To learn more about national parks in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and how the National Park Service works with Pennsylvania and New Jersey communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/pennsylvania and www.nps.gov/newjersey.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: September 29, 2025