LAKE MEAD NRA VISITORS SPENT $260 MILLION IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN 2013
BOULDER CITY, Nev. - A new National Park Service report shows that, in 2013, Lake Mead National Recreation Area visitors spent $260 million in communities within 60 miles of the park, an $8 million increase compared to 2012.
“This is impressive news for our local communities. It shows that despite lowering lake levels and a 16-day government shutdown, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, continues to be a premier recreation destination and a critical economic engine for our gateway communities and partners," said Bill Dickinson, park superintendent.
The recreation area ranked among the top 10 in visitor spending compared to the National Park Service’s 401 units.
Nationwide, the report shows that 273.6 million national park visitors spent $14.6 billion in nearby communities. The ripple effect of visitor spending provided a $26.5 billion benefit to the U.S. economy and supported 237,000 jobs. Visitor spending at Lake Mead National Recreation Area supported 2,905 local jobs.
According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.3 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (10 percent).
The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service.
The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. To download the report visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm.
To learn more about national parks in Nevada and Arizona and how the National Park Service works with the states’ communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment and provide outdoor recreation, visit www.nps.gov/nevada or www.nps.gov/arizona.
Top 10: Visitor Spending in Units of the National Park System (2013)
Blue Ridge Parkway: $782 million
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: $734 million
Denali National Park and Preserve: $513 million
Grand Canyon National Park: $476 million
Grand Teton National Park: $462 million
Yellowstone National Park: $381 million
Yosemite National Park: $373 million
Golden Gate National Recreation Area: $335 million
Lake Mead National Recreation Area: $260 million
Olympic National Park: $245 million
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
