Study says National Park visitors spent $926.3 million in Virginia in 2012

Published March 3, 2014 by Robert Powell, III

A report by the National Park Service shows that 23.4 million people visited national parks during 2012.The report estimates that these visitors spent $926.3 million in the commonwealth, an economic infusion that supported 13,256 jobs.

Nationally, the parks service had 283 million visitors in 2012 generating $14.7 billion in direct spending in communities within 60 miles of each park. The spending total supported 243,000 jobs.

The report says most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores (39 percent); hotels, motels and B&Bs (27 percent); and other amusement and recreation (20 percent).

The 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 national parks in Virginia include :Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arlington House – The Robert E. Lee Memorial, Assateague Island National Seashore, Blue Ridge Parkway, Booker T. Washington National Monument, Colonial National Historical Park, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Shenandoah National Park and Wolf Trap National Park for The Performing Arts.