Tourism to Fire Island National Seashore Creates Over 23 Million in Economic Benefits

Date: April 29, 2016
Contact: Elizabeth Rogers, 631-687-4766
Contact: Kelly Fellner, 631-687-4759

Patchogue, NY- A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 441,999 visitors to Fire Island National Seashore in 2015 spent $18.7 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 218 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $23.5 million.

"Fire Island National Seashore welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," said Seashore Superintendent Chris Soller. "We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. 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 factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be part of the recreational opportunities that help sustain local communities on Long Island."

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $16.9 billion of direct spending by 307.2 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 295,000 jobs nationally;252,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $32 billion.

According to the 2015 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (31.1 percent) followed by food and beverages (20.2 percent), gas and oil (11.8 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (9.8 percent).

Report authors this year produced an interactive tool. Users can explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: go.nps.gov/vse.

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

To learn more about national parks in New York State and how the National Park Service works with New York communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/NEWYORK.