Bent’s Old Fort Visitors Create Nearly $1 Million in Local Economic Benefit

Part of $30 billion impact that supports 252,000 jobs nationwide.

A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011shows that the 26,842 visitors to Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site spent $995,000 in communities surrounding the park.  This spending supported 13 jobs in the local area.

“Bent’s Old Fort is a wonderful place to learn about America’s story,” said park superintendent Alexa Roberts.  “We attract visitors from across the U.S. and around the world that come here to experience the park and then spend time and money enjoying the services provided by our neighboring communities and getting to know this amazing part of the country.  The National Park Service is proud to have been entrusted with the care of America’s most treasured places and delighted that the visitors we welcome generate significant contributions to the local, state, and national economy.”
The information on Bent’s Old Fort is part of a peer-reviewed spending analysis of national park visitors across the country conducted by Michigan State University for the National Park Service.  For 2011, that report shows $13 billion of direct spending by 279 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park.  That visitor spending had a $30 billion impact on the entire U.S. economy and supported 252,000 jobs nationwide.

Most visitor spending supports jobs in lodging, food, and beverage service (63 percent) followed by recreation and entertainment (17 percent), other retail (11 percent), transportation and fuel (7 percent) and wholesale and manufacturing (2 percent.)  To download the report visit www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation, 2011.