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Contact: John Dell'Osso, 415-464-5135
POINT REYES STATION, CALIFORNIA - A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that the more than 2.4 million visitors in 2012 spent nearly $98 million in communities near the park. That spending supported more than 1,100 jobs in the local area. "National parks like Point Reyes are not only good for the soul, they are good for the economy," park superintendent Cicely Muldoon said. "The 2.4 million visitors to Point Reyes play a major role in sustaining our local communities. We are grateful to work in concert with our community partners, and are glad to be able to play such a positive role in the local economy." National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy—returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service. At Point Reyes National Seashore, that return on investment is even greater. 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 $14.7 billion of direct spending by 283 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 243,000 jobs nationally, with 201,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.75 billion. To download the report, visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm and click on the link for 2012 National Park Visitor Spending Effects Report. The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. For more information on how the NPS is working in California communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to https://www.nps.gov/california. -NPS- |
Last updated: November 7, 2019