WEST GLACIER — A newly released report details the millions of dollars that Glacier National Park pumps into the local economy.
A National Park Service report shows that the over 2.9 million people who visited the park spent over $372 million in the nearby communities. The report further details that the spending supported 5,725 local jobs, bringing a cumulative benefit to the local economy of over $554 million.
“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.”
“People come to Glacier National Park to experience the wonder of iconic wildlife, clean water, rugged mountains carved by glaciers, and the vastness of the scenic and wild landscape. Park visitors end up supporting our local economies along the way,” said Superintendent Dave Roemer. “We’re proud that Glacier National Park supports over 5,000 jobs and generates more than $3 million in revenue to communities near the park.
The National Park Service report, 2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks.
According to a news release, the spending supported 415,400 jobs, and provided $19.4 billion in labor income as well as $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy.
The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.
Visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm to learn more from the National Park Service report.
