GLEN JEAN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A new National Park Service report shows that 2,080,330 visitors to the three national park sites —New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Bluestone National Scenic River, and Gauley River National Recreation Area —spent $108,387,000 in counties surrounding the parks in 2024. This reflects an almost 12% increase in spending over 2023.
“Our visitation has increased steadily since redesignation,” said Acting Superintendent Eric LaPrice. “Alongside the rise in visitation, we’ve witnessed a parallel surge in spending across gateway communities surrounding all three national park sites.”
The National Park Service report, 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near national parks. This spending provided $18.8 billion in labor income and $56.3 in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $11.1 billion in economic output. Restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.7 billion in economic output.
An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, 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 West Virginia and how the National Park Service works with West Virginia communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/westvirginia.
