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Contact: Neal Labrie, 207-242-0186
PATTEN, MAINE – A new National Park Service report shows that 35,200 visitors to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in 2024 spent $2.7 million in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $3.4 million.
“People come to Katahdin Woods and Waters to recreate in the north woods, experience an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, view and learn about the land through a Wabanaki worldview, and end up supporting the US and local economies along the way,” said Superintendent Neal Labrie. “We’re proud that Katahdin Woods and Waters generates $3.4 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 Maine and how the National Park Service works with Maine communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/maine.
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 30, 2025