Economic Benefits of Outdoor Recreation And Tourism

In 2006, amongst U.S. residents, age 16 and older, 87.5 million people participated in at least one wildlife related recreation activity: 30 million fished, 12.5 million hunted, and 71.1 million participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity. Of 6-to-15-year-olds, 1.6 million hunted, 8.3 million fished, and 12 million wildlife watched. Together these individuals spent $122.3 billion on their activities, which equated to 1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

In 2011, amongst U.S. residents ages 16 and older, 90.1 million people participated in at least one wildlife related recreation activity: 33.1 million fished, 13.7 million hunted, and 71.8 million participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity. Of 6-to-15-year-olds, 1.8 million hunted, 8.5 million fished, and 11.7 million wildlife watched. Together these individuals spent $122.3 billion on their activities, which equated to 1 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

Outdoor recreation is among America's largest economic sectors. It is the lifeblood of thousands of communities and provides livelihoods for millions of workers. Outdoor Industry Association issued the first outdoor recreation economy report in the early 2000s; this third edition takes a broader view of the growing industry and its shifting demographics. It is the largest, most comprehensive survey of its kind, and includes results for all 435 U.S. congressional districts in addition to national, regional, and state results.

Almost half—49.0%—of the US population ages 6 and over participated in an outdoor activity at least once in 2017. This continues three years of slight growth in outdoor participation. During the calendar year, outdoor activities attracted 13.6 million participants who tried outdoor activities for the 1st time or returned after a hiatus. The loss of participants was slightly less—11.9 million people stopped participating— which netted 1.7 million more participants from 2016 to 2017.

This study analyzes the economic benefits of the Pennsylvania state forest system, including timber sales and money generated by outdoor recreation activities. The research also explored current state forest governance practices, including the payment-in-lieu of taxes (PILT) system that was established to provide monetary payments to local government jurisdictions (county, municipal, and school district) that have non-taxable state forestland within their jurisdictions.

Survey identifies common characteristics of birders in the U.S. and estimates that they spend $40 billion on travel and equipment.

Study evaluating the economic benefits of land conservation and outdoor recreation in Carbon County, Pennsylvania.

The results of this study show that nature is serious business. The goods and services that flow from Dauphin County’s existing open space and natural systems save residents, communities and businesses $939.2 million in avoided costs for natural system services, air pollution removal and revenues from outdoor recreation each year.These benefits accrue to businesses, manufacturing, agriculture, governments and households.

Recreational angling constitutes one of the largest components of outdoor recreation in the U.S., having generated over $49 billion in retail sales in 2016 (USFWS, 2016), and contributed $125 billion to the national economy (ASA, 2018). At the state level, anglers spent $41.8 billion within the states where they live and $7.9 billion beyond the borders of their home state. The spending by residents supported 802 thousand jobs worth $38 billion in wages and income. These economic effects are also important at smaller scales. In this study we estimate the contributions that anglers make to their respective state economies based on their residence in each of the 435 U.S. congressional districts. Results are presented at the state level (Table 1) as well as the congressional district level (Table 2).

Study found that in 2014, tourists spent an estimated 7.5 million days and nights in Pennsylvania’s heritage areas, purchasing more than $2 billion worth of goods and services. Seventy percent of this spending was purely reliant on heritage-related attractions. The total contribution of heritage visitor spending to the state economy was 25,708 jobs and $798 million in labor income.

State Heritage Areas are large geographic regions or corridors of the commonwealth that span two or more counties and contain a multitude of historic, recreational, natural and scenic resources of state and national significance that collectively exemplify the heritage of Pennsylvania. In 2008, visitors to 8 of 12 heritage areas, both from Pennsylvania and out-of-state tourists, generated an estimated $255.8 million in direct sales, which supported 4,372 jobs.

Study shows that annual sport fishing activity in this Alaska municipality generates more than $63 million in spending on goods and services, accounting for over 900 jobs. Fishing also produces over $6 million in state and local taxes.

This report uses graphics to detail the popularity and economic impact of hunting in the U.S. as well as how the target shooting industry overlaps with conservation.

This study calculates the economic value generated by open space in the Lehigh Valley. It finds that open space adds significant value to the regional economy with benefits accruing to businesses, governments and households--some benefits being direct revenue streams to individuals or governments, some representing asset appreciation and some accruing in the form of avoided costs.

Report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis highlights the major economic impact of outdoor recreation in the United States. Overall, outdoor recreation is a $373 billion industry, accounting for 2% of U.S. GDP—more than mining, oil, and gas extraction. This report used slightly different methodology than the 2017 Outdoor Industry Association report.

The Trust for Public Land conducted an economic analysis of the return on Pennsylvania’s investment in land and water conservation through the Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund and found that every $1 invested in land conservation returned $7 in natural goods and services to the Pennsylvania economy.

Chester County partnered with the major land conservancies active in Chester County, as well as the Chester County Economic Development Council and Chester County Association of Township Officials to produce the Return on Environment report that estimates the economic impact of the County's robust open space preservation initiative.

The Trust for Public Land conducted an analysis of the return on the investment of dollars for federal land acquisition at sixteen locations that received significant Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) acquisition funds between 1998 and 2009. For the 131,000 acres of land preserved, every $1 of LWCF funds spent returns almost $4 in economic value. Additionally, the 10.6 million annual visitors to these areas spend $511 million in the surrounding local communities.

This report uses graphics to detail the popularity and economic impact of sportfishing in the U.S. as well as how the target shooting industry overlaps with conservation.

Between 2000 and 2003, hunters, fishers and wildlife watchers traveling to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) managed lands specifically for those activities spent $1.7 billion within 50 miles of the USFS unit. As these expenditures were spent and re-spent by businesses, additional economic impacts were created for state and national economies and supported 42,342 jobs and $194.0 million in annual federal income tax receipts.

This report uses graphics to detail the popularity and economic impact of target shooting in the U.S. as well as how the target shooting industry overlaps with conservation.

Revenues from an excise tax on most fishing, hunting, and shooting-sports equipment is used for the maintenance and enhancement of America’s fish and wildlife populations. Abundant, sustainable fish and wildlife populations yield abundant and diverse hunting and fishing opportunities, which leads to more purchases of hunting, fishing, and target shooting equipment. This tax shows how investing in conservation and rehabilitation projects that benefit game species, as well as nongame species, brings significant economic returns.

What is the role of trees, fields, and forests in filtering water, cleansing the air, controlling flooding and more? How much is it worth? What are all the other economic benefits of open space in Berks County? This report lays out the numbers in 28 colorful and eye catching pages.

Virginia’s natural resources provide approximately $21.8 billion/year in ecosystem services. Of this, state and federal public lands provide $5.1 billion and the more than 700,000 acres of private land under conservation easement provide $520 million. The benefits are derived from a protection of water quality and supply, pollination of crops, forest products, farm products, disturbance prevention, habitat that supports the marine resource harvest and carbon sequestration.

A case study analysis of six national heritage area sites in the Northeast region of the United States and projections on the national impact of all national heritage areas.

In 2008, Pennsylvania’s state parks hosted 33.6 million visitors who spent $738 million on their trips, which includes a $191.4 million impact from out-of-state visitors. The direct effects of this were $174.5 million in wage/salary income and 8,439 jobs and these jobs generated $354.6 million in secondary sales. This economic impact analysis of Pennsylvania’s state parks includes an overall economic analysis, a one-page fact sheet for each park and results of similar studies from other states.

In 2010, Pennsylvania’s state parks hosted 37.9 million visitors who spent $859 million on their trips, including $201 million in spending by out-of-state visitors. The direct effects of this were 9,435 part-time and full-time jobs; $227.2 million in wages, salaries and payroll benefits; and $360.6 million in value added benefits. This report includes both statewide and park specific analyses and a comparison the results of similar studies from other states.

Across Pennsylvania, millions of residents and nonresidents participated in outdoor recreation activities, generating substantial contributions to the state’s economy. During 2016, there were more than 390,000 jobs supported by outdoor recreation activities in Pennsylvania. More Pennsylvania jobs were supported by outdoor recreation than the production of durable goods.. Collectively, the economic contributions generated by outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania accounted for almost $17 billion in salaries and wages paid to employees and over $300 million in federal, state, and local tax revenue.

This provides the results of a study that quantified the annual value of New Jersey’s natural resources and its present value, the amount of money that would need to be invested now to generate an equal level of annual monetary benefits. The total value of New Jersey’s natural capital is about $20 billion per year (present value: $680 billion). It provides services worth between $8.6 and $19.8 billion (present value: $288-660 billion) and goods worth between $2.8 and $9.7 billion (present value: $93-322 billion).