News Release

Tourism to White Sands National Park Contributes $53.4 Million to Local Economy

Date: September 3, 2024
Contact: Brian Powers, 575-479-6124 ext 230

ALAMOGORDO, NM – A new National Park Service report shows that 729,096 visitors to White Sands National Park in 2023 spent $44.5 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 595 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $53.4 million.

“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.” 

"White Sands is a vital part of the local and state economy. In our gateway communities, visitors find a place to sleep and eat and make use of other local services that help drive a vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation industry,” said Superintendent Marie Frias Sauter. “We are excited to share the story of White Sands and southern New Mexico with visitors from all over the world and are pleased to contribute to the local economy in a positive way.”

The National Park Service report, 2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. This spending supported 415,400 jobs, provided $19.4 billion in labor income and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.

An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website.

To learn more about national parks in New Mexico and how the National Park Service works with New Mexico communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/NEWMEXICO.

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www.nps.gov/whitesands
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.