2018 National Park Visitor Spending Effects

Above, gateway communities such as West Yellowstone, Montana gain
 economically from national park visitors. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt released a report on the economic benefits to gateway communities by the nation's national parks.

According to an article in All On Georgia:

As the summer vacation and travel seasons opens, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced Thursday that visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2018 resulted in a $40.1 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 329,000 jobs. 

According to the annual National Park Service report, 2018 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, more than 318 million visitors spent $20.2 billion in communities within 60 miles of a park in the National Park System. Of the 329,000 jobs supported by visitor spending, more than 268,000 jobs exist in the park gateway communities.

To read more, go here.