San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site plans to expand visitor services at all sites Wednesdays through Sundays, this Wednesday March 24 with the reopening of the park bookstore now open Wednesdays through Sunday 10am-4pm.
Some additional exhibit spaces are also now open at both Mission Concepcion and Mission San Jose. Park rangers will now be present at all four mission sites Wednesdays through Sundays to provide information and service to the parks more than one million annual visitors.
A recent National Park Service (NPS) report shows that more than 1.4 million visitors came to San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in 2020. While this number reflects a slight drop from previous years, it also demonstrates the timeless role outdoor spaces and recreation plays in helping individuals and families find fun and connection.
“As organizations and companies in all sectors hope for a strong rebound in the economy, national parks, like San Antonio Missions, will play a critical role in any economic recovery, providing safe vacations, family recreation, and space to reconnect with our nation’s treasures," said San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Superintendent Christine Jacobs. “The NPS is working hard to safely reopen areas and increase access."
In mid-2021, the NPS expects to release its annual report summarizing the economic benefits of these visits to park communities such as San Antonio. The previous report showed how vital national parks can be as part of a robust economy. In 2019, 1.3 million park visitors spent an estimated $94.0 million in local gateway regions while visiting San Antonio Missions. These expenditures supported a total of 1,380 jobs, $47.2 million in labor income, $83.0 million in value added, and $140 million in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. For the state of Texas, national park tourism added $492 million in economic output. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm
To learn more about national parks in Texas and how the National Park Service works with Texas communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/texas.www.nps.gov/tx
Tags: economic impact visitation social science visitor spending effects visitor spending covid-19
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
