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NPS Infographic
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Contact: Beth Parnicza, 540-623-5861
FREDERICKSBURG, VA — A new National Park Service report shows that 819,000 visitors to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in 2024 spent $57.6 million in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $78.1 million.
“Parks are one of America’s best-kept secrets, bringing lasting value to communities through conservation, recreation, and economic growth. They protect our natural and historical heritage while boosting local economies through tourism and outdoor activity. Simply put, parks make places better—for people, for nature, and for the future,” said Superintendent Lewis Rogers. “We’re proud that Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP generates $78.1 million in revenue to communities near the park.”
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 Virginia and how the National Park Service works with Virginia communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/virginia.
About the park. Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park includes the sites of four major battles spanning eighteen crucial months of the Civil War. The battles caused more than 100,000 casualties. The constant presence of armies left Fredericksburg and the surrounding landscape devastated and ended bondage for thousands of enslaved people in the region. Learn more at www.nps.gov/frsp, and on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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