(The Center Square) – Colorado’s National Park Service sites saw a dip in overall visits last year but an increase in consumer spending, according to new data released by the federal agency.
Visitors spent an estimated $804 million in local communities near NPS-managed sites around the state, NPS’s 2022 report says. There were over 7.4 million recreational visits to those sites last year, and tourism-related spending contributed an estimated $1.3 billion in economic output.
In 2021, Colorado’s NPS sites had 7.8 million recreation visits and an estimated $560 million in local spending.
Colorado is home to four national parks – Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison – as well as several other NPS-managed sites with differing designations, such as national historical sites, national monuments and national recreation areas.
Rocky Mountain National Park had 4.3 million visits last year and $584 million in visitor spending, according to NPS data. Mesa Verde National Park saw almost 500,000 visits, while $58 million was spent in nearby communities. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve had 493,000 visits and $32.5 million spent last year. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park had 297,000 visits and an estimated $20.9 million spent by visitors.
“At the Interior Department, we understand that nature is essential to the health, well-being and prosperity of every family and every community in America,” Secretary Deb Haaland, who’s head of the U.S. Department of Interior, which oversees NPS, said in a statement. “But outdoor recreation is not just good for the soul, it’s a significant driver of our national and local economies and job sustainability.”
NPS Director Chuck Sams added: “The impact of tourism to national parks is undeniable: bringing jobs and revenue to communities in every state in the country and making national parks an essential driver to the national economy.”
