National Park Visitor Spending Stimulated Hawaii Economy

Above, World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument Visitor Center Complex at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitor spending last year was a major benefit to communities near our national parks and the ones in Hawaii were no exception.

According to MauiTime:

Visitors to Hawaii’s national parks spent almost $400 million in the state last year. A new National Park Service report shows that in 2016, nearly 5.8 million visitors to national parks in Hawaii spent more than $394 million. That spending resulted in nearly 4,800 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of more than $486 million. 

“The national parks of Hawaii attract visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Laura Joss, regional director for National Park Service’s Pacific West Region. “Whether they are out for an afternoon, a school field trip, or a month-long family vacation, visitors come to have a great experience, and end up spending a little money along the way. This new report shows that national park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy–returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service–and a big factor in our state’s economy as well, a result we can all support.” 

There are eight national parks in Hawaii including Haleakala National Park on Maui. Additional popular parks in the state include Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island and World War II Valor in the Pacific, which includes Pearl Harbor on Oahu.

I visited Pearl Harbor's World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument and took a helicopter tour of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park last year.

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