Yellowstone’s Tourism Contributes About $560 Million to Close by Communities

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – A new report from the National Park Service (NPS) shows that 3.8 million people in Yellowstone National Park spent over $ 444 million in communities near the park in 2020. This spending supported 6,110 jobs in the area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $ 560 million.

The peer-reviewed analysis of visitor spending was conducted by economists from the NPS and the US Geological Survey. The report shows $ 14.5 billion in direct spending by more than 237 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. These expenses supported 234,000 jobs nationwide; 194,400 of these jobs can be found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the US economy was $ 28.6 billion.

Looking at the economics of visitor spending at the national level, the lodging sector had the highest direct impact, with an economic output of $ 5 billion. The hospitality industry had the second largest impact, with $ 3 billion in economic output. Visitor spending on accommodation supported more than 43,100 jobs and more than 45,900 restaurant jobs. Visitor spending in the leisure industry supported more than 18,100 jobs and retail spending supported more than 14,300 jobs.

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The report’s authors also create an interactive tool that enables users to examine visitor spending, jobs, income from work, value added and output effects by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view trend data for each year. The interactive tool and report are available on the page NPS Social Science Program Website.

Check out the National Park Service website for more information Wyoming, Montana and Idaho to see how the agency works with communities in these states to preserve local history, protect the environment, and provide outdoor recreation.

Editor’s note: In 2020 the park will be closed on March 24th due to COVID-19. The two Wyoming entrances were reopened on May 18 followed by the three Montana entrances June 1.