National Park Visitation Added $35.8 Billion To US Economy In 2017

Above, Lassen Peak in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The U.S. national parks made a big contribution to the nation's economy in 2017.

According to Adventure Sports Network:

The National Park Service released an economic report on Wednesday that found $35.8 billion was added to the U.S. economy in 2017 due to national park visitation. The report includes information on visitor spending, the number of jobs supported by visitor spending and other statistics. 

“This report illustrates the incredible economic value of our national parks,” Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said. “National parks provide us a gateway to the outdoors, family recreation opportunities and connect us to our history and heritage, and they are extremely vital to local economies all across the nation. Parks provide jobs and fuel the outdoor recreation and tourism economy.”

To read more, go here.