KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A new report from the National Park Service shows that tourism in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park created $ 1.38 billion of cumulative benefits for the local economy in 2020.
The park had more than 12 million visitors in 2020 despite the pandemic.
“Despite an incredibly difficult year in the world and in our neighboring communities, we are proud to have worked with our communities to serve visitors to this area in 2020,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “We continue to strive to safely serve visitors to our communities and the park as they continue to explore our area and find the amazing resources the Smokies have to offer.”
The report was a peer-reviewed spending analysis that showed that 234,000 jobs were supported by spending in and near national parks. The report shows that spending on accommodation and restaurants made the largest contributions.
If you want to learn more about the economic impact of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you can find more information on the NPS website.
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