Tourism to Grand Canyon National Park creates $476 million in Economic Benefit Report shows visitor spending supports 6,238 jobs in local economy

Date: July 18, 2014
Contact: Maureen Oltrogge, 928-638-7779
Contact: Kirby Lynn Shedlowski, 928-638-7958

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 4,564,841 visitors to Grand Canyon National Park in 2013 spent over  $476 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 6,238 jobs in the local area.

"Grand Canyon is proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world," said superintendent Dave Uberuaga. "We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities." 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 big factor in our local economy as well.  

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service.  The report shows $14.6 billion of direct spending by 273.6 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported more than 237,000 jobs nationally, with more than 197,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion.

According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.3 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (10 percent). The largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs).

To download the report visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.

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

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