VAN BUREN MO: A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 1,253,703 visitors to Ozark
National Scenic Riverways in 2013 spent $51,265,200 in communities near the park. That spending
supported 719 jobs in the local area.
“Ozark National Scenic Riverways is proud to welcome visitors from across the country," said
Superintendent Bill Black. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides
and to use the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.
National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy - returning $10 for every tax dollar
invested in the National Park Service - and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate
the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local
communities."
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 shows $14.6 billion of direct spending by 274 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of
a national park. This spending supported 237,599 jobs nationally, with 197,343 jobs found in these
gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion. The report does
break out information on visitor spending by individual parks and by state.
The 2013 Visitor Spending Effects Report can be found at https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/docs/NPSVSE2013_final_nrss.pdf.
According to the 2013 report, most park 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 largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and
lodging (38,000 jobs).
To learn more about national parks in Missouri and how the National Park Service works with Missouri
communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to
www.nps.gov/Missouri.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the
surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
