National Park Visitors Spent $1.6 Billion In Utah

Above, Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A new report shows that the state of Utah obtained great economic benefit from tourists who visited the state's national parks last year.

According to the St. George News:

DENVER – A new National Park Service report shows that 14,409,742 visitors to national parks in Utah spent more than $1 billion in the state in 2016. That record visitation and spending supported 17,914 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of $1,597,500,000. The results represent a whopping 25.5 percent increase in visitor spending and 21.2 percent rise in visitation over 2015. 

“From Arches to Zion, the 13 national park units of Utah attract visitors from within the state, across the country and around the world,” NPS Intermountain Region Director Sue Masica said. “Whether they are out for a weekend, a school field trip, or a month-long vacation, visitors come to have a great experience, and end up spending some money along the way.

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