Homestead National Monument Tourism Impacts Local Economic Benefit

Date: February 26, 2013
Contact: Mark Engler, 402-223-3514

National Park Service

Homestead National Monument

of America

Homestead National Monument of America Tourism Creates

$2.3 Million in Local Economic Benefit

Part of $30 billion impact that supports 252,000 jobs nationwide

Beatrice, Nebraska – A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 69,845 visitors to Homestead National Monument of America spent $2,308,000 in communities surrounding the park.This spending supported 34 jobs in the local area. Then in 2012 the monument experienced a 48% increase in visitation because of the numerous special activities that commemorated the 150^th Anniversary of the Homestead Act of 1862.In 2012 over 103,000 people visited the monument spending over $3,400,000 in communities surrounding the park and supporting 50 jobs in the local area.

"Homestead is a wonderful place to learn about America's story," said park superintendent Mark Engler. "We attract visitors from across the U.S. and around the world who come here to experience the park and then spend time and money enjoying the services provided by our neighboring communities and getting to know this amazing part of the country.The National Park Service is proud to have been entrusted with the care of America's most treasured places and delighted that the visitors we welcome generate significant contributions to the local, state, and national economy."

The information on Homestead National Monument of America is part of a peer-reviewed spending analysis of national park visitors across the country conducted by Michigan State University for the National Park Service.For 2011, that report shows $13 billion of direct spending by 279 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park.That visitor spending had a $30 billion impact on the entire U.S. economy and supported 252,000 jobs nationwide.

Most visitor spending supports jobs in lodging, food, and beverage service (63 percent) followed by recreation and entertainment (17 percent), other retail (11percent), transportation and fuel (7 percent) and wholesale and manufacturing (2 percent.)

To download the report visit www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation, 2011.

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

To learn more about national parks in Nebraska and how the National Park Service works withcommunities to preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide local recreation opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/nebraska.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 398 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.