A new National Park Service report shows that more than 246,000 visitors in 2010 spent $4.8 million in Pinnacles National Monument and in communities near the park. The spending supported 58 jobs in the local area.
“The people and the business owners in communities near national parks have always known their economic value,” said Karen Beppler-Dorn, the park superintendent. “Pinnacles National Monument is clean, green fuel for the engine that drives our local economy.
Most of the spending and jobs are related to lodging, food and beverage service (52 percent) followed by other retail (29 percent), entertainment and amusement (10 percent), gas and local transportation (7 percent) and groceries (2 percent.)
The figures are based on $12 billion of direct spending by 281 million visitors in 394 national parks and nearby communities and are included in an annual, peer-reviewed, visitor spending analysis conducted by Daniel Stynes, of Michigan State University.
Across the United States, local visitor spending added a total of $31 billion to the national economy and supporter more than 258,000.
To download the report, visit www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on the “Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation and Payroll, 2010” link.
