News Release

Tourism to Reconstruction Era National Historical Park Contributes $1.2 Million to the Local Economy

An infographic that displays visitor data and spending trends in the NPS
National Parks are a vital part of our nation's economy, helping to drive a vibrant tourism & outdoor recreation industry. In 2022, 312 million visitors spent $20.5 billion in communities within 60 miles of a park & helped to support 322,000 jobs.

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News Release Date: August 21, 2023

Contact: Chris Barr, 843-441-3156

BEAUFORT, SC- A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 18,300 visitors to Reconstruction Era National Historical Park in 2022 spent $1.2 Million in communities near the park. That spending supported 15 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $1.4 Million. 

“Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 300 million visitors every year. The impact of tourism to national parks is undeniable: bringing jobs and revenue to communities in every state in the country and making national parks an essential driver to the national economy,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. 

“The 2022 NPS Visitor Spending Effects Report marks the first time that Reconstruction Era National Historical Park has been included in this national study on visitor spending,” said Chief of Interpretation Chris Barr. “While the park’s visitors are a critical component of the local economy, we’re honored that through this park, visitors are able to experience Lowcountry culture and learn about the local community’s successes and challenges during and after the Civil War.” 

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists at the National Park Service. The report shows $23.9 billion of direct spending by nearly 312 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 378,400 jobs nationally; 314,600 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $50.3 billion. 

As for the economics of visitor spending, the lodging sector had the highest direct effects, with $9 billion in economic output nationally. The restaurants sector was had the second greatest effects, with $4.6 billion in economic output nationally. 

Report authors also produce an interactive tool that enables users to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. 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 state name and how the National Park Service works with state name communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/SOUTHCAROLINA

 

  

For more information about Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, visit www.nps.gov/reer or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ReconstructionNPS

 

www.nps.gov  

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 425 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube



Last updated: August 21, 2023

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